The Federal Government has released the results of the 2019/2020 National Common Entrance Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) for admission into the 104 Unity Schools nationwide. The entrance examination took place on April 27.
The results were presented yesterday in Abuja, the nation’s capital, to the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, by NECO’s acting Registrar, Abubakar Gana.
He said the admission would begin on May 14 with the first batch of admissions coming as from the first week of June.
The minister said supplementary admissions will take place between July 13 and 20.
He said the government was mindful of the anxiety by parents to get admission for their wards into the colleges.
Adamu promised to ensure that the admission process is given the maximum attention it deserves.
He said: “On our part, we shall ensure that the admission process is given the maximum attention it deserves. We are mindful of the anxiety on the part of parents to get admission for their wards into our schools.
“We are equally conscious that some of our competitors (private schools) are ahead of us in terms of the conduct of their 2019/2020 admissions.
“The good news is that our schools have an edge over most of the private schools in terms of qualified teachers and facilities, among other variables. Even at that, we are not taking anything for granted.
“For next year’s admission, we shall adjust the examination schedules to ensure that children get their admission letters before the end of April.
“In terms of the admission, it will commence on May 14 with the first batch of admissions coming as from the first week of June.
“Supplementary admissions will take place between July 13 and 20. By the second week of September, the gates of all our 104 Unity Schools will be opened for resumption.”
The minister explained that 60 per cent of this year’s admission would be based on National Merit, 30 per cent on equality of states and 10 per cent on other factors.
He added that candidates who applied for schools outside of their states of origin would be given priority in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of the unity schools.
“This is in line with the ideals of the founding fathers of our unity schools. It is the hope of government that every graduate of our unity schools should be able to speak at least one Nigerian language outside his/her mother tongue in the course of his/her six year programme,” Adamu said.
The minister assured Nigerians that the unity schools remained the best destination for quality secondary education.
According to him, the government was doing more to ensure the rehabilitation and landscaping of the schools, provision of qualified teachers, librarians and laboratories.
NECO’s Acting Registrar said 73,347 candidates, of the 75,832 registered, sat for the entrance examination in 583 centres nationwide, including one centre in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.
He added that 18 blind candidates wrote the examination.
