Opinion
Should NECO, UTME Be Scrapped?
Two weeks ago, there were reports that the Federal Government was considering scrapping the National Examination Council (NECO) and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination. Although the Federal Government is yet to make direct pronouncement on it, and has not given reasons for its proposed action, the reports have since kept many Nigerians in unconfortable suspense. In line with our policy to feel the pulse of Nigerians on contentious issues of national importance, our correspondent, Calista Ezeaku and photographer, Dele Obinna, went out to get people’s reactions on the proposed scrapping.
Excerpts.
Mr. Amadi Charles – School Principal.
In talking about the scrapping of NECO, we first of all have to look at the importance of that body, vis-à-vis the impact on the education of the masses. We are talking about bringing to the barest minimum illiteracy in this country and here is thinking about scrapping a body like NECO.
I think that the detrimental effect of such action on education of this country will be so grievous.
So, I’m thinking that WAEC as a body is popular, it’s known for the effectiveness, and efficiency in our educational system. But time has come that Nigeria should also look like other advanced or advancing countries that have most of these bodies assisting each other to improve the education system in their countries. So, if the Federal Government decides today to scrap NECO as a policy, who am I to say no. we are the implementers. We will only implement. But if you ask for my candid opinion, I would suggest that they should allow it and improve on the policies that established NECO.
Some people claim that NECO certificate has been bastardised and for that reason NECO should be scrapped. How on earth will somebody think of NECO certificate as being bastardised? WAEC has been in existence for many years, GCE London started even before the WAEC and it is still in existence. Now NECO came in just as a support to improve our system. So, I have not experienced the certificate of NECO being bastardized.
The only problem NECO has is that it is not internationally recognised. And so the certificate end up within Nigeria. The Federal Government would have tried their best to improve on NECO and also the standard so it could compete with other certificates which make candidates eligible to go for further studies abroad.
On the issue of UTME, before the establishment of UTME, there was a system that existed, people were going to universities. And the question is this, how were these people evaluated. What made them eligible? How were they examined, qualified to enter the universities? Yes, in the past, eligible candidates applied to the universities of their choice, then the universities set their exams and if you succeeded you would be admitted into these universities, until, may be they discovered some errors in that method, may be the universities bastardised the idea. And so the Federal Government came up with another body, having x-rayed the ideas and then set up the UTME and I don’t think that UTME has failed Nigerians. But one thing about Nigeria is that once a thing is established and a set of people feel they are not benefiting from it, they will start criticizing, they will start kicking against it and by the time you know it, once they are in power, they will scrap it, not minding the usefulness of that organisation.
So, I think the scrapping of UTME would have been a gradual thing if at-all the Federal Government needs to do that, because in scrapping UTME, it means that you would have set up a standard for the universities to follow for admissions. And the only body that has been doing it is the UTME and if you scrap it, what do you think will happen? Universities will bastardise admissions. You will begin to see people pay huge amount of money to gain admissions, enrich some pockets and possibly enrich some universities. That is the truth.
So, in my opinion, government should study the policies that brought up UTME. They should also properly supervise the activities of UTME so that the standard which is already set will be achieved and not just scrapping, scrapping, scrapping. Scrapping itself is also a way of dwindling the economy of this country. When you set up one thing today, invest on it, tomorrow you pull it out, that money is gone. Again, it is also going to create a lot of problem for the employees. Where will you put all the employees of the scrapped agencies or organs? That will increase the unemployment rate in the country and reduce the educational standard in the country.
Mr. Idagogo Ida Annie – Teacher.
In my opinion, I think there is no need to scrap UTME because it is an entrance examination into the universities. I feel that it gives a kind of uniformity in terms of the yardstick for the entrance examinations.
But if you allow individual universities to conduct entrance examination, there will be no uniformity and the standard may vary. Some schools may have high standard, some may have low standard, but with UTME, all the universities have equal entrance examination standard. We should also appreciate the effort being made by this body to ensure high standard. Before now, when candidates wrote UTME exams it took up to three or four weeks before the result would come out. But if you observe, in recent times, its no longer like that, under one week or a few days, the results are out. So there is a lot if improvement.
As for NECO, it is just a national examination conducted by Nigerian government, which is not accepted in other countries. So, there is no need for it if it is not accepted. You may have a child here who has NECO certificate and as a parent you may like the child to go to another country for further studies, and if the country does not accept NECO, it’s of no use. So, I think NECO should be scrapped and WAEC should be improved upon.
Chidi ThankGod – Student
I think NECO makes things easy for students. Before NECO was established, students were sitting for WAEC for several years without success. That made some people to abandon their academic pursuit. But with the establishment of NECO, things became easy for student. They now have the opportunity of sitting for two exams instead of only WAEC. If you sit for WAEC and you cannot make it, you try NECO. That does not mean that NECO exams are easier or the standard lower than WAEC but peoples’ luck are different. Some may find it difficult to make it in NECO, they may succeed in WAEC while it will be the other way for others. So, NECO should not be scrapped because it serves as an alternative to WAEC and makes things easier for students.
Again, the level of corruption in this country is so high that it is messing up a lot of things in this country. The negative impunities being injected into the academic sector increases day by day, starting from the top. So I think JAMB, UTME or whatever you call them are not really helping matters. A situation where students will be preparing to write JAMB exams and may be two or three weeks before the exams, the papers are leaked, tells a lot of story about that examination body. JAMB officials use these papers to make money. And that’s why some people who cannot even write their names score very high in UTME and would probably be offered admission in the universities while the best brains who wrote the JAMB exam without expo and could not score as high are denied admission.
So, I think the idea of allowing individual universities to conduct own entrance examinations is a welcome development. It will reduce the stress of writing JAMB and failing it every year. It will also minimize the number of exams that students are subjected to WAEC, NECO, JAMB, Post-UTME and others just to enable one gain admission into the university.
But I think a standard should be set for all the universities which must be adhered to. If other universities and tertiary institutions can key into the vision of Prof. Fakae of Rivers State University of Science and Technology of using computer for exams, it will reduce exam malpractices, raise the standard of education and ensure that the best are admitted into these institution irrespective of whether the person is from a poor or rich background.
If other higher institutions can adopt the method of using computers for exams without hacking into the code (which is what I was saying about the rate of corruption), it will really make things easy.
Mr. Godbless Nwala – Student
I’m of the opinion that NECO should be scraped. Any body that is not able to make his papers in WAEC will also not be able to make it in NECO. Again, scraping NECO will make students to actually sit up and study very well to pass WAEC exams since they know there is no other alternative.
On the issue of entrance examination into the universities, I think number of examinations that students are forced to take should be reduced. And if scrapping UTME and empowering individual universities to conduct entrance examinations will help us achieve that, then so be it.
Really, the idea of students writing UTME or JAMB and going to the universities to write Post-UME exams is frustrating, uneconomical, and stressful. And the way the post UME exams are conducted in some universities is not encouraging at all, only children of the rich who can pay some stipulated amount of money are given admission while the children of the poor are left out.
Let me also point out that because of level of corruption going on in JAMB, students don’t study for the exams because the papers will be in circulation weeks or days before the exams, so there is no need losing one’s sleep over it. But for post-UME exams, students take it more serious because there are no micro chips. You write the exam on your own.
So I’m of the opinion that NECO and UTME should be scrapped while WAEC and universities should take over the conduct of these exams. It will make the students to be more serious and raise our academic standard.
Miss Anabel Elvis – UTME Candidate.
The stress involved in writing UTME is much but I still prefer it to allowing universities to conduct their entrance examinations. If universities take over the responsibility of conducting admission examinations, admission would be for the highest bidder and not on merit.
As I said earlier, JAMB is really stressful, for instance, since morning, I’ve been moving round this campus (RSUST) looking for the exam centre without success. Nobody is even ready to direct you to the right place to go or provide answers to your questions but JAMB is still a preferred option.
It gives everybody a level playing ground. The intimidation and discrimination that will be associated with empowering the universities to admit students will be too much. They may end up admitting only indigenes and leave out the non-indigenes and all that.
One of the critical problems confronting Nigeria today is the lack of recognition and appreciation of our tangible heritage, values, and norms – elements that are crucial for fostering social cohesion and responsibility. These values, which are inherently adaptive, can only be transmitted effectively through cultural education.Nigerian food Cultural education involves socialising individuals into the norms, values, and heritage of a given society through mediums such as folktales. Its primary intent is to nurture socially responsible and morally upright individuals who contribute positively to their community. In essence, cultural education is a learned behavioral pattern shared and transmitted from one generation to another. It encompasses customs, traditions, beliefs, arts, and philosophies of life. As Babs Fafunwa (1994) observed, every society, regardless of its size, has its unique ways of transmitting its cultural heritage.
Cultural education plays a vital role in shaping a child’s character and physical skills. Cultural education also has unique ways of instilling respect for elders and authority in the child. In addition, cultural education helps in developing intellectual abilities, fostering a sense of belonging, and promoting active participation in family and community affairs. This concept also cultivates a healthy attitude towards honest labour while it also helps to preserve the community’s cultural heritage. However, since Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the infiltration of foreign cultures, technological advancements, religious beliefs, and political systems have significantly helped in the erosion of the country’s social fabric. Today, Nigeria grapples with the loss of cultural values in more ways than one. The country also grapples with moral laxity among youths, violence, delinquent behaviours as well as the disruption of traditional political systems.
Beyond these, lack of cultural education has also triggered a decline in political will among the country’s citizenry. Thus, social issues such as sex abuse, prostitution, drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom, internet fraud (which are more commonly known as 419); cybercrime, militancy, armed robbery, and examination malpractice have become rampant. However, these challenges can be mitigated through the promotion and sustenance of cultural education in Nigeria. Bringing cultural education forward in the country’s socio-political and economic systems would go a long way in redirecting the citizenry from the identified social ills. For instance, cultural socialization teaches children the proper ways to greet elders and interact respectfully. Observing parents during ceremonies are also a way to achieving this. Ceremonies such as weddings, child-naming, or funerals help children learn appropriate behaviour at such and sundry ceremonies, and decorum. Unfortunately, many youths today lack respect for elders and are antagonistic to cultural values. Instead, they are influenced by foreign films, contents and literature which often glorify disrespect to our culture; violence and weapon use. As a result, some have become political thugs, religious extremists or armed robbers. They now pose a severe threat to Nigeria’s national survival.
Furthermore, exposure to undesirable foreign cultures has led to extensive moral degradation which manifest in ways such as drug abuse, prostitution, theft, and internet fraud. Dressing among Nigerian youths is another concern. Many young people disregard their cultural heritage and show utmost disdain for their geographical environment. For example, some young women wear clothing that leaves vital parts of their bodies exposed, while young men adopt unkempt appearances, including sagging their trousers and leaving their shirts unbuttoned. There are also instances of unfastened shoelaces. These issues can be addressed through family-based cultural socialisation, where parents play a critical role in imparting cultural education. It is therefore recommended that, to address these social ills, the following measures are suggested. The first is that there should be ways to incorporate cultural education into the curriculum of our schools. Nigeria’s education system should be reviewed to emphasise cultural education, including the use of indigenous languages for instruction. Cultural elements such as morality, taboos, mores, and folktales should be promoted to shape human behaviour positively.
Another suggestion is that we should indigenise the Nigerian political systems. The political system should incorporate cultural principles and practices specific to Nigeria’s diverse cultural environments. This will encourage greater participation and accountability among political leaders. Thirdly, we must promote local content in media. A ban should be placed on the excessive use of foreign entertainment packages in media houses and on social media. Instead, Nigerian cultural content should be prioritised and promoted to reinforce cultural identity. Also, we must strengthen parental socialisation. Through this, families must embrace parental socialisation as a key method for imparting cultural education. Parents should model cultural values and behaviours to guide their children effectively. Cultural education is very essential for curbing social ills in Nigeria. By integrating it into our education system, political practices and media content, we can foster a society rooted in strong moral values and cultural heritage, thereby ensuring a strong and brighter future for generations to come.
Modupe is Chief Museum Education Officer, National Commission for Museums & Monuments, Osogbo, Osun State.
Veronica Adewole
2027 is sealed for Mr. President. When I say 18 over 18, it means we are going to deliver our 18 local governments to Mr. President.”
Reading the above statement by the governor of Edo State, Mr. Monday Okpebholo, one wonders what the future holds for Nigeria’s democracy. In any true democracy, the power to elect leaders rests solely in the hands of the people. This principle is the foundation of democracy, ensuring that governance is based on the will of the majority rather than the rule of a single individual or a privileged few. Unfortunately, in Nigeria political elites and influential figures attempt to manipulate the electoral process, undermining the will of the citizens. We often hear governors and some other politicians talking tough, boasting of how they would sweep all votes in an election. This practice not only weakens democracy but also fosters corruption, inefficiency, and a disconnect between leadership and the people’s actual needs.
Such statements suggest a predetermined outcome of an election rather than a free and fair electoral process. And in a democratic society such as our, this has several implications. Firstly, there is a threat to free and fair elections. Democracy thrives on competitive, transparent, and credible elections where citizens freely choose their leaders. The claim that all votes will go to one candidate suggests electoral manipulation, coercion, or suppression of opposition. Secondly, it portrays a disregard for voter choice. It is said that in a democracy, the electorates are the kings because they are supposed to have the power to determine who sits on any political seat. But when a governor claims that the votes to be cast in his state in the next two years are already meant for a particular candidate, it suggests that the election result is already determined, it makes voters feel powerless and discouraged to participate in politics.
Statements and actions like Okpobholo’s erode political pluralism. Democracy requires multiple parties competing fairly. Declaring total victory before an election dismisses the role of opposition parties and reduces political competition to a mere formality. The statement also raises concerns about potential election rigging, vote-buying, or manipulation of electoral institutions to favor one candidate, which damages public trust in the democratic system. If there are no plans to commit these electoral offences, how possible is it that all the numerous opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) which just handed over power to the ruling party in Edo State will not win even a single local government area?
This idea of a government in power winning elections at all cost and making elections in Nigeria less competitive and predetermined outcomes is the reason institutions like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), judiciary, and security agencies are seen as compromised.
This, no doubt, weakens our democracy. Another implication of Okpobholo’s rhetoric is that it can provoke political unrest, resistance from opposition parties, and loss of faith in democratic processes, leading to increased instability and potential conflicts. Nigeria is already soaked with too much political and economic tensions and cannot afford to have more due to the selfish interest of a few individuals. Another troubling trend is the growing influence of governors, party leaders, and other politicians in handpicking candidates for elections. Instead of allowing a free and fair process where citizens decide, these power brokers often impose their preferred candidates, who may not necessarily represent the interests of the people. Such interference leads to a leadership that is accountable not to the electorate but to the few individuals who orchestrated their rise to power.
Have we not seen enough of this in display where elected lawmakers both on the federal and state levels would choose to do the biddings of their masters in the executive arm of government over the interest of Nigerians who elected them? Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo while speaking on the failure of democracy in Africa recently aptly defined what we currently have in Nigeria thus, “Today we have democracy which is government of the people, of a small number of people, by a small number of people over a large number of people who are deprived of what they need to have in life.” Some people have come heavily on the former president and the former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi who shared the same sentiment for daring to criticize the present-day practice of democracy in Nigeria when in their days in offices some of their actions accountable and effective leadership.
Additionally, the legal framework governing elections should be strengthened to ensure transparency. INEC and the states’ electoral umpire free from political interference, must oversee the entire process, guaranteeing that every vote counts and that the people’s choices are respected. Political parties should also be mandated to conduct primaries that genuinely reflect the will of their members, rather than serving as a mere formality for predetermined outcomes.Our elected leaders across board should be advised to face governance and deliver the dividends of democracy to Nigerians who put them in office instead of politicking all the time. It is about two years to the next general elections and the major preoccupation of the leaders seems to be plans and scheming of how to come back in office in 2027 instead of dealing with economic, insecurity, unemployment and other challenges facing the country. How can Nigeria move forward like that?
Calista Ezeaku
Look before you leap”, is one of the wise sayings that over the years I have been emotionally attached to. It means so much to me because the debilitating consequences of unguided actions are better imagined than experienced. “Look before you Leap” teaches me to be thoughtful, articulate, discreet dispassionate and solicit for advice of the experienced and reasonable people where necessary. I have seen people reveal their stark ignorance because they took decisions rashly and without considering the implications of their actions or inactions, only to say, “had I known” which is an euphemism for failure. It has therefore, become necessary to “look before you leap”. Rehoboam, son of Bible’s King Solomon lost 10 of a 12-tribe kingdom of lsrael to Jeroboam. The negative consequences of lack of conscientious and enlightened guide before taking action has landed many to avoidable regrets.
Thoughtless actions happen every day and they are evidenced in the unpleasant outcomes of such decision. In 2024, a Federal High Court, Abuja sacked 20 Cross River State House of Assembly members which serves as an object lesson for thoughtless Lawmakers’ and elected representatives who want to defect from the party on whose platform they were elected to a preferred political party, whether the choice was based on sound judgement, ignorance or pecuniary gains. The Electoral Act is unambiguous and crystal clear so does not make judicial interpretation necessary, on the ground for an elected representative to leave his or her political party for a preferred one either by inducement, anticipated pecuniary benefits or blind loyalty.And the sublime reason must be premised on irreconcilable crisis in the political party of those elected who want to decamp or cross-carpet
Recall that on Monday March 18, 2024 a Federal High Court in Abuja sacked 20 members of the Cross River State House of Assembly. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had instituted a suit against the lawmakers over their defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ruling on the case marked “FHC/ABJ/CS/975/2021 , Taiwo Taiwo, the presiding judge, held that the lawmakers should vacate their seats, having abandoned the political party that sponsored them to power. The affected lawmakers are: Michael Etaba, Legor Idagbor, Eteng Jonah William, Joseph A. Bassey, Odey Peter Agbe, Okon E. Ephraim, Regina L. Anyogo, Matthew S. Olory, Ekpo Ekpo Bassey, Ogbor Ogbor Udop and Ekpe Charles Okon.Others are Hillary Ekpang Bisong, Francis B. Asuquo, Elvert Ayambem, Davis Etta, Sunday U. Achunekan, Cynthia Nkasi, Edward Ajang, Chris Nja-Mbu Ogar and Maria Akwaji.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Speaker of the House of Representatives, National Assembly, Clerk of the National Assembly, Cross River State House of Assembly, Clerk of the Cross River State House of Assembly and the All Progressives Congress, were also joined as defendants in the suit. Though, in their defence, the lawmakers argued that there was rancour in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),which led to their expulsion from the party, the judge held that the defendants had intentions to mislead the court. He said he found gaps and loopholes in their defence as they tried to twist events to suit their own narratives.”They wined and dined under the umbrella of the plaintiff who also gave them shelter,” he said Taiwo noted that they not only defected loudly, “they took pictures of their defection and were received by the officials of the 26th defendant”.
“There is no doubt that the defendants can belong to or join any political association and assembly as they are free to do so,” he ruled. “I consider the attempts of the 6th – 25th defendants to justify their defection feeble in the circumstances of this case.” Taiwo said the public voted for the lawmakers through the plaintiff who sponsored them and they were not elected as independent candidates.”They had a vehicle which conveyed them and that vehicle belongs to the plaintiff. They cannot abandon the vehicle,” he held. Justice Taiwo’s judgment and several other judgments on thoughtless defections should have been a basis, landmark and precedent to determine whether the 27 Rivers State House of Assembly members elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have the locus to publicly decamp to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and still retain their seats in the House as elected and honourable members of the House as declared by the Supreme Court in its Judgment on consolidated suits on the political crisis in Rivers State.
The judgment of the “learned” justices of the Supreme Court on the 27 defectors is a bitter pill to swallow. It is however, not a surprise because the aroma of the fart tells the substance of the poo. The wise man learns from the experiences of others and history. History repeats itself because people have refused to come to understanding. They are close-ended in learning. The essence of history is to avoid a reinvent of the negative past, use the ugly past to reconstruct the future. Legislators are elected to represent constituency consisting of people of all walks of life. They should rather strive to serve the people, solicit the consent of popular opinions on critical issues rather than serving their selfish interests. Those elected should see themselves as stewards and as stewards they are accountable to the people and God, not their political godfather.
It is high time our political leaders knew that the legitimacy of their positions is derived from the magnanimity of the people. They should therefore not take decisions without taking into cognisance the interest of the people they are representing, through intentional consultation.
By: Igbiki Benibo