NECO releases entrance examination, announces new cut-off marks

National Examination Council (NECO), Government has announced the release of the 2020/2021 National Common Entrance Examination results, and also pegged the national cut off marks for the examination at 142.

The results were announced by the Minister for Education, Adamu Adamu, during its presentation by the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Godswill Obioma, in Abuja on Monday, November 16, 2020.

Adamu expressed delight at the speed with which the leadership of NECO conducted the 2020 National Common Entrance Examination, despite the setbacks caused by the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and the #EndSARS protests across the country.

The Education Minister disclosed that a total of 70,580 candidates sat for the examination nationwide, out of which 24,416 candidates passed with a minimum score of 66.

He said that the admission carrying capacity in the country has increased to 26,625 for the current year with the number of unity schools now up to 110.

In the results that were released, 3 students recorded the highest scores and they are: Umeonyiagu Chinua Crucifixio (Anambra State), with a score of 199 out of 200 marks; followed by Onwuamanam Udochukwu (Enugu State) with a score of 198; and Salaam Mariam Aderemilekun (Lagos State) who scored 197 marks.

The Minister of Education ordered a comprehensive investigation on the circumstances that surrounded the absence of a huge number of students from the exams, after NECO had revealed that 16,713 candidates were said to be absent from the examination due to the EndSARS protests that rocked the country recently.

The Minister noted that the admission criteria include 60% strictly on merit, 30% based on states’ representation in the Unity Colleges and the remaining 10% to cover other sundry considerations such as special needs candidates, gender, local community, and biological children of teachers, PTA, School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) and old students organizations, etc.

He subsequently directed that within 72 hours of the receipt of the results, principals are to complete both the merit-based (60%) and 30% of equality of states’ admission.