… laws governing NECO obsolete-Niger gov

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

The federal government, yesterday, said there was an urgent need to review and modernize legislative framework for examination in the country, saying such action would effectively address evolving challenges facing examination.

This came as the governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar Bago, tasked the National Assembly to fashion out new laws that would govern operations of examinations, particularly NECO as according to him,the existing laws governing NECO had become obsolete.

Both spoke at a one-day retreat, tagged: “Legislative Functions: The Imperatives of Achieving NECO’s Mandate and the Challenges of Examination Legislation in Nigeria.”,organised by by NECO.

The Minister of State for Education, Dr Tanko Yusuf Sununu, who spoke through his representative and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Didi Esther Walson-Jack,assured of government’s support to enthrone a new examination legislation.

Dr Sununu, who noted that NECO play an indispensable role in ensuring the sustainable management of the nation’s educational landscape, added that the examinations body serves as a cornerstone in assessing students and offering them a national platform to demonstrate their knowledge and skills.

According to him,”The mandates of NECO are clear and vital to the educational development of our nation.”

He said:”NECO’s mandates are diverse, encompassing the conduct of examinations, the issuance of certificates, and the provision of valuable data for educational planning and development. However, the effectiveness of NECO’s operations is intricately linked to the legislative environment it operates.

“Legislation not only establishes the legal framework for NECO’s activities but also acts as a mechanism for safeguarding the integrity of examinations, protecting students’ rights, and ensuring accountability and transparency in assessment procedures.

“Despite the significance of examination legislation, we cannot ignore the challenges we face in this realm. From outdated laws and regulations to emerging issues like examination malpractice and digital transformation, there is an urgent need to review and modernize our legislative frameworks to effectively address these evolving challenges.

“Therefore, this retreat provides a timely opportunity for stakeholders to deliberate on key issues, share insights, and formulate strategies to enhance examination legislation in Nigeria. “

The minister added that,”Through collaboration and concerted effort, we can strengthen NECO’s legal foundations, uphold excellence standards in our educational system, and ultimately empower our students to excel academically.”

The Niger State governor, who was the chairman of occasion, observed that the existing laws governing NECO had become obsolete.

According to him, it was important to look into the existing laws that guides NECO in the conduct of its various examinations to address issues of artificial intelligence.

“This retreat is very timely and I’m very impressed that the members of National Assembly are fully represented here.

“Looking at the way forward for examination bodies like NECO in terms of innovation, there is the imperative of changing or amending our laws to be in tandem with technology, time and innovation.

“For instance, artificial intelligence has come to stay so our law must also be able to key into this technological advancements. So this retreat is timely.

“I call on NECO and stakeholders to expand it beyond this hall so that other stakeholders will have input and also be able to come out with a robust policy and laws in order to be sent to the National Assembly,” the governor said.

On his part, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, said the challenges in fulfilling NECO’s mandate highlighted the critical need for a robust legislative framework.

He identified infrastructure constraints, surge in candidate enrollment, in adequate funding, examination malpractice, amongst others as some of the key hurdles faced by the examination body.

He stressed the need for a review of the existing laws of the Council.

He also said the examination body was in need of more resources to establish, maintain and secure examination centres as well as implement cutting-edge technological safeguards.

Wushishi, who noted that fulfilling NECO’s mandate was however challenging, said the challenges highlighted the critical need for a robust legislative framework.

The NECO boss regretted that the nation’s examination body was facing infrastructure constraints.

He said:”Conducting nationwide examinations necessitates a strong infrastructure. We need more resources to establish and maintain secure examination centres and implement cutting-edge technological safeguards.”

“The ever-growing number of students taking NECO examinations intensifies the logistical complexities. We strive to adapt and cater to this expanding population while maintaining the highest standards.

” Financial constraints can restrict the implementation of robust security measures the deployment of qualified personnel, and the adoption of advanced assessment technologies

“Cheating and other forms of malpractice remain a persistent threat to the integrity of examinations. Effective legislation and collaborative efforts are crucial in combating this challenge.

“The rise of phishing websites that exploit vulnerabilities and promote leakage of examination papers undermines student confidence and necessitates costly cancalations and reprinting. “

He explained that the retreat presents a timely opportunity to propose a bill titled “The Conduct of Examinations in Nigeria.”