‘Over 4,000 Employees Set To Lose Jobs In NECO’

Over 4,000 people will be rendered jobless if the National Examination Council (NECO) is scrapped as recommended by the Oronsaye panel, the Non Academic Staff Union (NASU) has warned.

The Chairman of NASU, NECO chapter, Comrade Abdulrasheed Rabana, gave the warning yesterday while reacting to media report that government was contemplating scrapping the only indigenous examination body, saying most of these staff are skilled and technical senior officers.

He said any attempt to scrap NECO and make WAEC to take over all its structures could be viewed as subjugation of Nigerian sovereignty and national pride to the regional examination body, adding that should anything happen to WAEC tomorrow, what will be the fate of Nigerian students.

Rabana said many countries that are only having one examination body were aspiring to have more to cater for explosion in schools enrolment, adding that ironically in Nigeria government was contemplating to scrap the only examination body in the country that took several years to build. “Having more than one examination body is seen globally as a mark of national achievement rather than a burden.

This the more reason why countries that still manage with one institution aspire to have more in tandem with the global explosion in school enrolments and by implication examination candidates,” he said.

He further argued that unknown to the Oronsaye committee, any attempt to interrupt the progress made in NECO by scrapping the examination council would be viewed as a setback in national drive toward self reliance in education.

Similarly, the Governing Board and Management of NECO had reassured candidates and schools that had registered for the various examinations that the time table for such examinations remained unchanged, saying National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) will hold as scheduled on April 13, 2013, May 9th –23rd, 2013 and 1st June – 12th July, 2013 respectively.