BREAKING: NECO scraps use of scratch cards, announces new system

The Nationwide Examination Council (NECO) has scrapped the usage of scratch playing cards, for the conduct of its Senior Secondary Certificates Examination (SSCE).

Chairman of the NECO board, Abubakar Saddiq, confirmed this on Friday through the commissioning of the tools and unveiling of 20 Toyota Hilux Vans bought by the company, in Minna, Niger State, Naijaparry learnt.

Saddiq disclosed that they’ve procured 8,000 biometric machines, for registration of candidates through the conduct of its examinations.

“Within the final individuals have to purchase scratch playing cards with a view to register for NECO examination. That’s out. No extra scratch playing cards. Individuals (will) register on-line they usually (will) be given a code and they’ll go forward to register.

“As they register, their biometrics are captured. Each college is on a specific biometric knowledge capturing machine. Each knowledge is captured on that small machine.

“It is impossible for anybody to impersonate a candidate during our exams because the captured data is on our platform,” he stated.

NECO’s Appearing Registrar, Abubakar Gana, stated that the tools have been procured to boost operations within the areas of logistics and general safety of its examination.

In line with Gana, NECO had been making use of scratch playing cards to register over 51,000 candidates for every of its examinations previously which had not enabled the company to curb malpractices.

Gana famous that the 8,000 biometrics machine price the council N500million, whereas the 20 Toyota Hilux gulped N327,800,000.

“Each of the vehicles cost N16, 390,000 while a unit of the biometric capture machine was bought at N62, 500,” he stated.

That is the primary time NECO can be deploying biometrics, for the conduct of its Senior Secondary Certificates Examination.