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Nigeria: The National Examinations Council (NECO) and the Western African Examinations Council (WAEC); whether there are two different tests to obtain a secondary school diploma or to be accepted into a Nigerian university and if so, since when; whether there is competition between the NECO and the WAEC; recognition of certificates awarded by the two organizations

In Nigeria, students wishing to attend university must pass the University Matriculation Examination (UME) administered by the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) (Europa World of Learning 2008 2007, 1518; IOM 2007). To be admitted to this university entrance examination, students must first obtain the Senior School Certificate (SSC) (Dibu -Ojerinde and Faleye 2005, 239; Europa World of Learning 2008 2007, 1518). Students obtain an SSC by passing exams administered by either the Western African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO) (Dibu -Ojerinde and Faleye 2005, 239; NECO 4 Aug. 2005a). Many universities have also begun to administer their own entrance examinations due to allegations that results in these external examinations have been manipulated (IOM 2007).

WAEC and NECO

Established in 1952, WAEC's mandate is to "determine examinations required in the public interest in West African Countries" (WAEC n.d.a). WAEC has five member countries: the Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria (ibid.).

In 1999, the government of Nigeria created NECO, which was given the responsibility to administer Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) (NECO 4 Aug. 2005a; ibid. 4 Aug. 2005b; see also StateUniversity.com n.d.a). NECO administered its first SSCE in 2000 (StateUniversity.com n.d.a).

On 11 January 2000, the Lagos-based P.M. News reported that WAEC was losing SSCE candidates to NECO because of the rival organization's lower fees. According to StateUniversity.com, an online resource on educational systems around the world (StateUniversity.com n.d.b), "[t]he rivalry between the two testing organizations increased so much that by early 2001 there was much confusion among students over which organization's exam they should take" (ibid. n.d.a; see also This Day 5 May 2000).

News sources from 2007 and 2008 indicate that both examination bodies are still administering the SSCE (Leadership 31 Jan. 2008; This Day 29 Jan. 2008; ibid. 4 Nov. 2007; Vanguard 6 Dec. 2007). Cited in a 4 November 2007 article in This Day, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NECO suggested that there was a need for more examination bodies in Nigeria, in addition to NECO and WAEC, to meet the needs of secondary school students in the country.

The SSCE

WAEC and NECO administer the SSCE twice a year: internal or school candidates (i.e., those who are finishing their last year within the secondary school system) write the exam in the spring or early summer, while external or private candidates (i.e., those who are outside the school system) write the exam in late autumn (WAEC n.d.b; NECO 4 Aug. 2005c; ibid. 4 Aug. 2005d). Candidates are tested on a minimum of eight and a maximum of nine subjects (WAEC n.d.b; NECO 4 Aug. 2005c).

According to the NECO website, the SSCE grading system is as follows:

A1 – Excellent
B2 – Very Good
B3 – Good
C4 – Credit
C5 – Credit
C6 – Credit
D7 – Pass
D8 – Pass
F9 – Fail (4 Aug. 2005c).

The results of the SSCE are reportedly used to obtain employment, to qualify to run in elections and to gain admission into university or college (NECO 4 Aug. 2005c).

Recognition of SSCs awarded by WAEC and NECO

Sources consulted by the Research Directorate indicate that there have been suggestions that the quality of certificates awarded by NECO are "inferior" to those awarded by WAEC (Dibu-Ojerinde and Faleye 2005, 239; This Day 29 Jan. 2008; ibid. 30 Jan. 2005; Leadership 31 Jan. 2008). However, a 2005 study on the performance of students awarded NECO certificates compared with those awarded WAEC certificates found that there was "no significant difference" between the two groups in their first and second semesters of university (Dibu-Ojerinde and Faleye 2005, 240). Nevertheless, in 2005, Imo State University [southern Nigeria] reportedly refused admission to students who were awarded NECO certificates, allowing only those with WAEC certificates to register (This Day 30 Jan. 2005). In 2008, the Cross River State government [southern Nigeria] announced that it would no longer recognize certificates awarded by NECO for entry into the state's universities and colleges (ibid. 29 Jan. 2008; Leadership 31 Jan. 2008). According to the state commissioner for education, the WAEC "remains superior to NECO" and many students who passed the NECO examination "could not defend their results" (ibid.; This Day 29 Jan. 2008).

According to the NECO website, however, universities and colleges in Nigeria are required by law to recognize certificates awarded by both NECO and WAEC (4 Aug. 2005b; This Day 30 Jan. 2005).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Dibu-Ojerinde, Odusola Olutoyin and Faleye, Bamidele Abiodun. 2005. Journal of Social Science. Vol. 11, No. 3. "Do They End at the Same Point?" <http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/JSS/JSS-11-0-000-000-2005-Web/JSS-11-3-173-258-2005-Abst-PDF/JSS-11-3-239-241-2005-278-Dibu-Ojerinde-O-O/JSS-11-3-239-241-2005-278-Dibu-Ojerinde-O-O-Full-Text.pdf> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

The Europa World of Learning 2008. 2007. 58th Edition. Vol. II. "Nigeria." Edited by Anthony Gladman. London: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

International Organization for Migration (IOM). 2007. Information on Return and Reintegration in the Countries of Origin – IRRICO. "Nigeria." <http://irrico.bbconsult.co.uk/Factsheets//IRRICO_CS_Nigeria%202_Lay-out%20revised%20by%20MRF%20BRUSSELS.pdf> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

Leadership [Abuja]. 31 January 2008. "Nigeria: NECO is Inferior to WAEC – Commissioner." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200801310238.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

National Examinations Council (NECO). 4 August 2005a. "Introduction." <http://www.neconigeria.org/corporate/about.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 4 August 2005b. "Frequently Asked Questions." <http://www.neconigeria.org/corporate/ttable.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 4 August 2005c. "Examinations Being Administered By the Council." <http://www.neconigeria.org/corporate/exams.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 4 August 2005d. "Examination Time Table." <http://www.neconigeria.org/corporate/ttable.html> [Accessed 4 Feb. 2008]

P.M. News [Lagos]. 11 January 2000. Ayodele Lawal. "Nigeria – SSCE: WAEC Loses To Rival Body." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200001110175.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

StateUniversity.com. N.d.a. "Nigeria – Secondary Education." <http://education.stateuniversity.com/pages/1104/Nigeria-SECONDARY-EDUCATION.html> [Accessed 5 Feb. 2008]
_____. N.d.b. "Global Education Reference." <http://education.stateuniversity.com/collection/2/World-Education-Encyclopedia.html> [Accessed 5 Feb. 2008]

This Day [Lagos]. 29 January 2008. Ernest Chinwo. "Nigeria: Why Cross River Govt Rejects NECO." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200801300491.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 4 November 2007. Francis Ugwoke. "Nigeria: NECO Boss Seeks Multiple Examination Bodies." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200711050773.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 30 January 2005. "Nigeria: IMOSU and NECO Certificates." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200501310409.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. 5 May 2000. Funmi Ikolo. "Nigeria: 'Establishment of NECO Breaches Convention'." (AllAfrica) <http://allafrica.com/stories/200005050220.html> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

Vanguard [Lagos]. 6 December 2007. Anayo Okoli. "Court Orders WAEC, Others to Allow 390 Students Take Exams in Anambra." <http://www.vanguardngr.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2649&Itemid=45> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC). N.d.a. "History." <http://www.waecnigeria.org/history.htm> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]
_____. N.d.b. "Frequently Asked Questions." <http://www.waecnigeria.org/support.htm> [Accessed 31 Jan. 2008]

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net); Factiva; Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB); Nigeria Federal Ministry of Education; NigerianEducation.org; NigerianSchoolsOnline.org; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); World Education Services.