72, 831 candidates sit for National Common Entrance nationwide

A total of 72, 831 candidates are sitting for the 2023 National Common Entrance Examination nationwide, with Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory recording the highest number of enrolments.

Kebbi State in North East, Nigeria came least in terms of candidates enrolment.

The examination is expected to admit students into 110 Unity Colleges spread across the country.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejoh while monitoring the conduct of the examination at Federal Government Girls College, Bwari on Saturday, decried the attitude of parents enrolling their children who are underaged.

In criticising parents, he said the concept of education goes beyond writing and passing examinations, stressing that maturity and intellectual formation were also paramount in children’s educational development.

According to the Permanent Secretary, the ideal age for children to sit for the national common entrance shouldn’t be less than 11 or 12 years.

Meanwhile, NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Ibrahim Wushishi maintained that female enrolment received a boost this year compared to last year 2022.

He admitted that logistic challenges which arose in the extension of the examination date, and the eventual upsurge of candidates applying for the examination at the last minute will be looked into in subsequent arrangements.