Difference between WAEC and NECO

The National Examinations Council (NECO) is a body in Nigeria that conducts a cross section of examinations for candidates in their secondary school stage of education.


NECO was created by the administration of former head of state, Abdulsalami Abubakar, in April 1999, through the promulgation of a decree. READ ALSO: What is the exact date for the release of WAEC result? The categories of examinations conducted by NECO include: 1. Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE): This examination is taken by candidates in their last stage of Secondary School Education. a. The SSCE is in two categories - One is for candidates in the third and final year of their senior secondary education otherwise known as SSCE internal. b. The second is SSCE external and is for candidates not in the school system, such as private candidates. 2. Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE): This is conducted for candidates in their third year of the junior secondary school. 3. National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE): This examination is administered to pupils in their 6th year of basic education. The purpose of this examination is to select the best candidates from every state of the federation and the federal capital territory (FCT) for admission into federal unity colleges. On the other hand, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is an examination body established by law to determine the examinations required in the public interest in english-speaking West African countries. The body is tasked with conducting examinations and awarding certificates comparable to those of equivalent examining authorities internationally. WAEC was established in 1952 and conducts four different categories of examinations. They are international examinations, national examinations, examinations conducted in collaboration with other examining bodies, and examinations conducted on behalf of other examining bodies. PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 new app The international exams are exams taken in countries with the WAEC ordinance. It consists of: WASSCE (West African Senior School Certificate Examination): WASSCE for private candidates January - February WASSCE for school candidates March - May WASSCE for private candidate (GCE) September - October The WASSCE also coordinates examinations in collaboration with some trustworthy examination bodies. These include: University of London GCE Scholastic Aptitude Test and Graduate Record Examinations for Educational Testing Service Princeton, USA, JAMB (Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board) examination in countries outside Nigeria. Meanwhile, the results of this year’s May/June WASSCE has been released by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). According to reports, the results were released on Monday, July 17, and candidates who sat for the May/June 2017 WASSCE exams can go to the Council’s website- www.waecdirect.org- to check theirs. Nigerians express mixed feelings as JAMB reduces admission cut-off to 120......