By Tony Obiechina Abuja
A total of 27,268 females out 70,603 students registered for the 2024 National Common Entrance Examination organised by the National Examinations Council (NECO) into the 110 Unity Colleges nationwide, last Saturday.
The female candidates outnumbered their male counterparts whose figures stood at 33,335, according to the data released by the NECO Registrar, Prof Dantami Wushisi who monitored the conduct of the exercise alongside the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack.
He lamented that the 2024 registration was lower than that of 2023 which had 34,064 males and 38,801 females, totalling 72,865.
The NECO boss attributed the low registration in 2024 to economic factors as the exam body had slightly raised the registration fee and parents, who are grappling with the economy, were responsible for sponsoring candidates at this level.
“For the males and females, last year’s registration was higher than this year’s registration and this could be attributed to so many factors; economic factor is the most prevalent factor that could hinder this large registration,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, who gave a general assessment of the conduct of the exercise, expressed satisfaction with what NECO has put in place to ensure a smooth and seamless exercise.
She disclosed that 55 centres were wrote the NCEE in the FCT, stating that everything went smoothly and students were placed in conducive examination halls to sit for the exercise. READ ALSO:
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Also speaking, the Chairman Senate Committee on Education, Basic and Secondary, Sen. Lawal Adamu, said he rolled out NECO and JAMB sponsorship in the state and contributed over N250 million for parents to be able to pay for NECO and JAMB examinations.
Adamu, who also called on National Assembly members to provide an educational foundation for every child in their constituencies, lauded NECO for the smooth conduct of the exercise.
