By Chimezie Godfrey
The Federal Government has released a comprehensive schedule for various national examinations for exit classes, spanning from 17th August to 18th November, 2020.
The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajuiba, who made the announcement on Wednesday in Abuja after series of meetings with Chief Executives of examination bodies in the country said, the West African Examinations Council, (WAEC-SSCE) will start on the 17th of August, 2020.
He added that the National Business and Technical Examination Board, (NABTEB) examinations will start on the 21st September and end by 15th October, 2020.
“Other details of the schedule indicate that the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, (SSCE) for SS3, conducted by NECO will start on the 5th of October and end on 18th of November, 2020.
“The Basic Education Certificate Examinations, (BECE) for JSS 3 also conducted by NECO, will start on the 24th of August and end on the 7th of September, 2020.
“Furthermore, the National Common Entrance Examination, (NCEE) which is a one-day NECO examination for intending applicants into Unity Colleges (JSS1) will run in-between the Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations i.e. on Saturday, 17th October, 2020.
“Registration for the NECO (SSCE), which is on-going, will end on the 10th of September, 2020 and there shall be no extension for the registration whatsoever.
“The National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies, (NBAIS) examination will commence on Wednesday, 23rd September and end by 17th October, 2020,” he stated.
The Minister directed all examination bodies to release details of their examination timetables in the next seven days.
Present at the meeting which was chaired by the Minister of State for Education, were the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Arc. Sonny Echono, Registrar, Joint Admissions Matriculations Board, (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede; and Registar, National Examinations Council, (NECO), Prof. Godswill Obioma.
Others are Registrar, National Business and Technical Examination Board, (NABTEB) Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe; National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies, (NBAIS) Dr. Raji as well as the Acting Registrar of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), Dr. J.O. Oke.
The Minister disclosed that for the one – day National Common Entrance Examination conducted by NECO, it is compulsory for parents and pupils to wear face masks on the exam date, while also carrying along with them, alcohol-based sanitizers.