The National Examination Council (NECO) says no fewer than 829,787 out of the 1,152,016 candidates that sat for this year’s June/July Senior School Certificate Examination SSCE got five credits and above including English and Mathematics.

The figure, which represents 71.59 per cent, indicates a 0.11 percent increase in performance of candidates compare to 2018.

The Acting Mallam Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NECO, Mallam Abubakar Gana, who announced the release of the result at the NECO headquarters in Minna Niger State capital on Tuesday,said “this year’s senior school certificate examination was a huge success compared to 2018.”

The result also shows that 1,041,986 candidates, representing 89.90 percent, passed the exams with five credits and above, not adding English Language and Mathematics, and that “this shows a drop by 0.57 percent compared to 2018.

He disclosed that a total number of 1, 163,194 candidates registered for the June/July 2018 school based examination, out of which only 1,151,016 eventually sat for the examination, adding that 76 subjects were examined.

A breakdown of the result shows that 984,152 candidates, representing 85.50 percent scored credits and above in English.

In the same vein, 954,399 candidates, representing 83.03 percent, scored credit and above in mathematics.

He disclosed that despite the Examination Council’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice, 40, 630 candidates were involved in various forms of examination malpractices, representing 3.53 percent higher than 2018, adding that only 20,181 candidates were involved, and that “the reason for higher figure in 2019 is not unconnected with the deployment of the new biometric verification device used during this year’s examinations.”

Mallam Gana maintained that the success recorded this year could be attributed to both external and internal factors, saying that “NECO candidates are examine based on Nigeria modern curriculum while the new cream of staff as well as synergy with other bodies responsible in designing Nigerian curriculum contributed immensely.”

According to him, “the 2019 June/July SSCE can, therefore, be adjudged to be a huge success, and I am delighted to confirmed that NECO has again delivered on its mandate.”