The National Examination Council, NECO, has announced the release of the 2024 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, SSSCE, results, with sixty point five-five per cent of candidates obtaining at least five credits, including Mathematics and English Language.

Speaking during a news briefing at NECO headquarters in Minna, Niger State, the Registrar of the Council, Professor Dantani Wushishi, provided details on the examination outcomes.

Wushishi revealed that a total of one million three hundred and seventy-six thousand four hundred and twenty-three candidates registered for the exam, comprising seven hundred and six thousand nine hundred and fifty male and six hundred and sixty-nine thousand four hundred and seventy-three female.

He said the number of candidates who achieved five credits and above, including English and Mathematics, stands at eight hundred twenty-eight thousand two hundred and eighty-four, representing sixty point five-five per cent of the total candidates.

“The number of candidates with five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics, is 1,147,597, representing 83.90%.”

Compared to the 2023 edition of the examination, Wushishi said NECO recorded a significant reduction in exam malpractice this year, adding that 40 schools were involved in mass cheating.

“The number of candidates involved in various forms of malpractice in 2024 is 8,437, compared to 12,030 in 2023, indicating a reduction of 30.1%.

“During the conduct of the 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination, 40 schools were found to have engaged in whole-school (mass) cheating in 17 states.

They will be invited to the Council for discussion, after which appropriate sanctions will be applied.

One school in Ekiti has been recommended for de-recognition for mass cheating in two core subjects and one Science subject.

“Similarly, 21 supervisors were recommended for blacklisting due to poor supervision, aiding and abetting, abscondment, extortion, drunkenness, and negligence in 12 states,” he said.

Wushishi asked candidates who sat for the examination to visit the NECO website to access their results.