NECO Expands Regional Reach, Accredits Schools In West African Country For SSCE, BECE

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has accredited selected schools in Burkina Faso to host its Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), marking a significant expansion of its regional operations.

In a statement issued Sunday in Abuja, the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr Azeez Sani, said the approval followed a comprehensive assessment of facilities in the host institutions.

According to him, the accreditation team inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, ICT centres, workshops, examination halls, sports facilities and security architecture, as well as evaluated Continuous Assessment (CA) records, teacher adequacy and the general learning environment.

He said the schools were granted full accreditation after a “thorough and detailed” evaluation.

Sani noted that extending NECO examinations to Burkina Faso aligns with the council’s drive to strengthen its international presence and enhance access to quality assessment services across Africa.

He recalled that NECO recently opened an examination centre in London, joining existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima, welcomed the development, describing it as a relief for Nigerian families who had previously faced logistical and financial challenges in registering their children for NECO exams.

He noted that many parents had been compelled to travel to Saki in Oyo State for registration and examinations, exposing students to security risks and incurring heavy costs.

Leader of the accreditation team, Dr Uche Ezenwanne, said the move would allow Nigerian students in Burkina Faso to sit for the SSCE and BECE without returning home, reinforcing NECO’s ambition to remain a leading examination body on the continent.