The National Examinations Council (NECO) has expanded its international operations by granting accreditation to selected schools in Burkina Faso for the conduct of its Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE). The development marks another step in NECO’s growing regional presence.
The announcement was made in Abuja through a statement by the council’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Azeez Sani. He confirmed that the accreditation followed a detailed assessment carried out by a NECO team across several institutions in the West African country.
According to Sani, the team carried out a full inspection of academic and administrative facilities.
He stated: “During the visit, the team evaluated the readiness of the institutions by inspecting classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer labs, workshops, examination halls, sports facilities, and security architecture.
“They also reviewed the schools’ Continuous Assessment (CA) records, teacher adequacy, and general learning environment to determine suitability for NECO examinations.
“After what was described as a thorough and detailed evaluation, the schools were granted full accreditation to host the SSCE and BECE.”
Sani noted that the extension into the schools visited in Burkina Faso reflects NECO’s commitment to raising the standard of assessment services across borders. He added that NECO’s international presence is rapidly expanding and positions the council as a major examination provider on the continent.
The spokesperson also highlighted the steady increase in NECO’s foreign centres, referencing its newly established centre in London and others in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima, welcomed the development and highlighted its long-standing necessity.
He explained: “Previously, parents had to take their children to Saki, Oyo State, to register and write the examination, exposing students and parents to security risks and imposing heavy financial burdens on families and school proprietors.”
He added that the accreditation would significantly ease these challenges for Nigerian families.
Galadima encouraged members of the Nigerian community to register their children for NECO examinations in the country, emphasizing its benefits.
Leader of the accreditation team, Dr. Uche Ezenwanne, said the initiative would help Nigerian students living in Burkina Faso take their examinations without the need to travel back to Nigeria. He reaffirmed that this milestone strengthens NECO’s continental leadership in standardized testing.
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