The National Examinations Council (NECO) has cautioned school owners and stakeholders against enrolling candidates for its examinations by proxy. In a statement from the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, the Council stressed that such dishonest practices can result in identity theft and the production of fraudulent results. NECO reiterated its dedication to eliminating all forms of exam malpractice and detailed various strategies to combat impersonation.
Measures to address this issue include using biometric data capture devices, specialised answer booklets, and including candidates’ photos and birthdates on certificates. Sani mentioned that these fraudulent practices often lead to identity theft and the distribution of fake results. Furthermore, NECO emphasised its commitment to eliminating all types of examination malpractice.
The Council has implemented several measures to prevent impersonation in its examinations. These measures include the use of a Biometric Data Capturing Device, customised answer booklets, and the embossing of candidates’ photographs and dates of birth on their original certificates.
Additionally, the NECO e-Verify platform was launched last year to enable online confirmation and verification of NECO results.
Remarks From the Acting Director
Sani further mentioned that the Council has declared that any certificate claimed to be issued by them that cannot be verified or authenticated through the NECO e-Verify platform is considered fake.
As a result, the Council urges State Ministries of Education and school owners to ensure that only the personal information of legitimate candidates is used for registration in all NECO-administered examinations.
In addition, candidates who were found guilty of impersonation in the recently released 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (Internal) had their results withheld.
This action is part of the Council’s comprehensive policy to combat all forms of examination malpractice.