‘FG’ll Scrap NECO, UTME’

The Federal Government is set to scrap the National Examination Council (NECO) and Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

According to reports by Punch Newspapers, the Federal Government’s decision is based on the recommendations of the Stephen Oronsaye-led Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies.

Under the new arrangement, in place of UTME, authorities of all tertiary institutions would now be at liberty to conduct their entrance examinations as they had been doing for post-UTME.

JAMB will however not be scrapped but will serve as a clearing house like Universities and Colleges Admissions Service in the UK. If somebody gains admission into three universities and holds down space, immediately such person picks his first choice, JAMB’s system will automatically free the remaining two slots for other applicants.

‘JAMB will no longer conduct examinations but it will be setting the standard alongside the schools authorities,’ a source told Punch.

The West African Examination Council, WAEC is to absorb NECO’s members of staff and its facilities.

WAEC will also be empowered to conduct two Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations per year, one in January and the other probably in December.

It is believed that the Federal Government’s decision would be made public in the coming days.