By Mohammed Danlami
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has granted accreditation to schools in Burkina Faso to host its examinations, widening its international footprint.
This is contained in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja by the council’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr Azeez Sani.
Sani said the council would now begin to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the West African country.
According to him, the move follows a comprehensive assessment visit by a NECO accreditation team to selected schools in the West African country.
“During the visit, the team evaluated the readiness of the institutions by inspecting classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer labs, workshops, examination halls, sports facilities, and security architecture.
“They also reviewed the schools’ Continuous Assessment (CA) records, teacher adequacy, and general learning environment to determine suitability for NECO examinations.
“After what was described as a thorough and detailed evaluation, the schools were granted full accreditation to host the SSCE and BECE,” he said.
Sani noted that the expansion into Burkina Faso underscored NECO’s commitment to delivering quality education and assessment services beyond Nigeria’s borders.
“With its expanding global presence, NECO is poised to become a leading examination body in Africa, offering opportunities for Nigerian students and other foreign nationals worldwide to benefit from its expertise,” he said.
He recalled the recent establishment of an examination centre in London, United Kingdom, adding to existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima, commended NECO for the expansion, describing it as a relief for Nigerian families in the country.
Galadima revealed that parents had long grappled with challenges arising from differences in educational systems and the lack of English language schools.
“Previously, parents had to take their children to Saki, Oyo State, to register and write the examination, exposing students and parents to security risks and imposing heavy financial burdens on families and school proprietors,” he said.
He added that the accreditation would eliminate these risks and reduce financial strain on parents.
The ambassador urged the Nigerian the community in Burkina Faso to take advantage of the opportunity by registering their children for NECO examinations.
Leader of the accreditation team, Dr Uche Ezenwanne, said the move would enable Nigerian students living in Burkina Faso to write SSCE and BECE without traveling back to Nigeria.
This move, he said, would reinforce NECO’s position as Africa’s foremost examination body.
