92,591 candidates jostle for 30,000 spaces in Unity schools

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has said the result of the common Entrance Examination of National Examination Council (NECO) into 104 Unity Schools will soon be out so as to make up for the first term and bridge the gaps in studies created by the closure of schools.

The minister said a total number of 92,591 candidates sat for the 2019/2020 NECO, on Saturday 17th October, in 639 centres nationwide.

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Adamu who stated this yesterday while monitoring the entrance examination in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), expressed satisfaction in the conduct of examinations and commended the compliance of exam centres and candidates to COVID-19 guidelines and protocols.

He however, said the government had noted areas of improvement in planning for future exams.

Speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Sonny Echono, disclosed that the current carrying capacity of the 104 Federal government colleges is 30,000, adding that six new colleges were established to create more access and improve available spaces for intending candidates.

Echono commended the significant improvement in the numbers of registered candidates from Zamfara State which is 1,742, stating that this is the highest from the state since its creation.

He stated that the state registered only 100 candidates highest in the past but has joined the league of states who registers highest numbers of candidates based on state of origins.

The Registrar of the Council, Professor Godswill Obioma, disclosed that over 280 internal monitors were recruited and were operative nationwide, to monitor the NECO entrance exams.

Prof. Obioma said: “26,006 candidates registered for the exams in Lagos state, 9,763 in FCT-Abuja, Anambra 6,440, Imo State 4781, Enugu State 4457,Delta State, 2,929, Niger State, 2766, Oyo State 2,258,Ogun State 2,600, Kaduna 1197 candidates”

Among the candidates are 44,041 male candidates and 48,550 female candidates, 22 visually impaired candidates also sat for the entrance exams across Nigeria.