NECO ACCREDITS BURKINA FASO SCHOOLS FOR SSCE, BECE

NECO ACCREDITS BURKINA FASO SCHOOLS FOR SSCE, BECE

The National Examinations Council has taken another bold step in widening its global reach, securing full accreditation for selected schools in Burkina Faso to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination and the Basic Education Certificate Examination.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, disclosed that a NECO Accreditation Team visited Burkina Faso to assess the preparedness of the institutions seeking approval. The inspection covered classrooms, laboratories, libraries, ICT facilities, workshops, examination halls, sports areas, continuous assessment records, as well as teacher adequacy and security architecture.

Sani noted that after a rigorous evaluation process, the schools met all requirements and were granted full accreditation. He added that the development demonstrates NECO’s commitment to promoting quality assessment services across Africa.

According to the Council, its growing presence on the continent places it firmly on the path to becoming a leading examination body, offering credible assessment opportunities to both Nigerian students and foreign nationals.

The latest expansion follows the establishment of a new NECO examination centre in London, with other international centres already operating in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia.

During a courtesy visit to the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ambassador M.D. Galadima, applauded NECO for extending its services to the country. He explained that Nigerian families had long grappled with the challenge of enrolling their children for English-based examinations, often travelling as far as Saki in Oyo State—an arrangement that exposed families to security threats and high transportation costs.

Galadima expressed confidence that the newly accredited schools will ease the burden on parents and urged the Nigerian community in Burkina Faso to maximise the opportunity.

Leader of the NECO Accreditation Team, Dr. Uche Ezenwanne, stated that the approval will now allow Nigerian students resident in the country to write their examinations without leaving their base, further strengthening NECO’s standing as a foremost examination body in Africa.