By Gabriel Dike
Over 75,635 pupils from various primary schools nationwide yesterday sat for the 2019 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The entrance examination is for admission into the 104 federal government colleges also known as unity schools.
The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu and top officials of NECO monitored the 2019 NCEE in some selected schools in Abuja.
In Lagos, about 15,000 primary school pupils wrote the examination in some accredited schools.
As early as 8.00am some parents and teachers with their candidates arrived the schools while some reported late.
At Ikotun High School, Lagos, NECO officials addressed both pupils and parents separately before the screening of the candidates.
The 240 pupils slated to write the examination in the school were screened and allowed into the examination halls about 10.05am while about six candidates who had issues were cleared about 11.18am. The head teacher of the school advised parents not to distract their children by going near the examination halls and assured them that the government had provided security to protect the pupils.
The supervisor/NECO official informed worried parents who showed concerns about the issue of names and examination numbers that the question papers were customised with each candidates names and exam numbers.
A parent, Mr. Joseph Nwachukwu, commended NECO for the smooth conduct of the exercise but observed that the supervisors wasted too much time during the screening of the pupils.
Nwachukwu, whose son chose Federal Government College, Ijanikin, Lagos, as first choice also observed that many schools did not participate in the NCEE and hoped NECO would release the results early.
A teacher at Bethland Secondary School, Lagos, Mrs. Fadahunsi Lola Mopelola, told Sunday Sun that the screening exercise started late. She said her school presented 20 pupils for the NCEE and expressed the hope that they would do well to secure admission into their school of choice.
The Public Relations Officer of NECO, Mr. Sanni Azeez, told Sunday Sun that the Education Minister and top officials of NECO monitored the NCEE in Abuja.
He said 75, 635 pupils wrote the 2019 NCEE nationwide while Lagos State recorded the highest with over 15,000 candidates.