The National Examinations Council (NECO) has granted accreditation to schools in Burkina Faso to host its examinations, widening its international footprint.
This is contained in a statement issued to reporters in Abuja on Sunday by the council’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr Azeez Sani.
Sani said the council would now begin to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in the West African country.
According to him, the move follows a comprehensive assessment visit by an NECO accreditation team to selected schools in the West African country.
Sani noted that the expansion into Burkina Faso underscored NECO’s commitment to delivering quality education and assessment services beyond Nigeria’s borders.
He recalled the recent establishment of an examination centre in London, United Kingdom, adding to existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima commended NECO for the expansion, describing it as a relief for Nigerian families in the country.
Galadima revealed that parents had long grappled with challenges arising from differences in educational systems and the lack of English language schools.
He added that the accreditation would eliminate these risks and reduce financial strain on parents.
The ambassador urged the Nigerian community in Burkina Faso to take advantage of the opportunity by registering their children for the NECO examinations.
Leader of the accreditation team, Dr Uche Ezenwanne, said the move would enable Nigerian students living in Burkina Faso to write SSCE and BECE without travelling back to Nigeria.
This move, he said, would reinforce NECO’s position as Africa’s foremost examination body.
