By Magnus Emuji
Delta State Commissioner for Primary Education, Dr Kingsley Ashibogwu, has commended the National Examinations Council (NECO) for recognizing and rewarding exceptional performances in their Examinations, especially in their National Common Entrance Examination.
Dr Ashibogwu gave the commendation in Asaba during the NECO Productivity Award presentation to Master Bokare Lemuel Ogheneyoborue of King’s Kiddies Nursery and Primary School, Warri who emerged overall best in the country in the male category of the 2023 Entrance Examination into Federal Government Colleges that was conducted by NECO and the Proprietress of the school, Mrs Dorcas Enasara Adjetey.
The award is from the National Examinations Council.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in charge of the Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Augustine Oghoro, the Commissioner said that the award aimed to boost morale and improve the productivity of students’ performances arising from teaching, administration, research and innovations.
Dr Ashibogwu stated that the award was intended to inspire healthy competition and continuous improvement in the school setting, adding that the partnership between the Examination body and the State Government was to ensure that the public acknowledged quality performance would promote healthy competition among students and learners.
He said that as an Examination body, NECO had continually maintained high ethical standards in all ramifications and congratulated the awardees for their outstanding performance and for making the state proud.
He urged schools and learners across the state to emulate the academic excellence of the two pupils, whose performances in the entrance examination were considered the best, a feat that earned their various schools awards.
Earlier in her welcome address, the Director of Examinations in Ministries of Primary and Secondary Education, Mrs. Clementina Ufoma Ojumah noted that the award was an indication that the huge investment in the education sector by the State Government was yielding tremendous results and called on other well-meaning organizations to emulate the gesture carried out by NECO.
In her remarks, the State Coordinator of NECO, Princess Nkechi Ugbaja explained that out of the number of candidates that wrote the 2023 National Common Entrance Examination in the country, Delta got the best for male and female categories.
She said that the female had already received her award in Minna in Niger State but added that the award for the male was sent to the state NECO office hence she decided to bring the award to the Ministry for the State Commissioner for Primary Education to perform the presentation of the award to the pupil and the Proprietress of his school.
Ugbaja used the opportunity to inform the public that the National Common Entrance Examination and Gifted Examination for exceptional students into the Suleja Academy registration was ongoing at the cost of N4,750, saying that the National Common Entrance Examination would take place on April 20, 2024, while the Gifted Examination would be conducted on May 4, 2024.
Responding, the Proprietor of King’s Kiddies Nursery and Primary School, Warri, Mrs Adjetey and Master Bokare Lemuel Ogheneyoborue lauded NECO for encouraging academic excellence through such rewards.
Mrs Adjetey described the award as a welcome development to sustain the standard of learning in her school and thus impact on the educational well-being of the children.
