- Launches e-verify platform
From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Examination Council (NECO) has developed a digital platform, e-verify, that, according to them, will simply the verification and confirmation of candidates’ results.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, in his welcome remarks, at the unveiling of the platform in Abuja, on Thursday, explained that “NECO e-Verify” is an online result verification solution that guarantees instant authentication of academic and basic information about prospective candidates for admission and employment into academic institutions and workplaces, respectively.
He said: “Result verification is an important process that helps to ascertain the accuracy of academic credentials. By verifying the authenticity of candidates’ results, academic institutions and employers would be more confident that they are admitting and hiring persons who have the required academic qualification for further studies and specific job schedules.”
He said that prior to this time, all requests for verification and/or confirmation of results were routed through the Council’s headquarters in Minna, which took a long time to process. “Due to the growing need for verification and confirmation of results by institutions both home and abroad, the Council decided to develop and introduce the e-verify platform to ease the process.
“From available records, we have observed that there were requests for verification and confirmation of results from 64 institutions across 37 countries over a two-year period (2020-2022). Similarly, we have such requests from 72 institutions in Nigeria within the same period. This is besides requests from individuals which are numerous.
“It is an irrefutable fact that academic institutions and employers of labour, among other agencies, rely on verification of results to help them select the best prospective students for admission and employment purposes.”
He said the exercise increase confidence, reduced risk, and also increase efficiency.
Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, David Adejoh, who spoke at the public unveiling of the digital platform in Abuja, on Thursday, described the platform as a complete transformation of the system that will enhance transparency.
He directed all tertiary institutions to use the digital platform to verify the O’Level results of candidates that would be admitted into the institutions for the new academic year.
Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Dr Akon Eyakenyi, in her remarks, emphasised the importance of the digital platform in promoting efficiency and transparency, thus making things easier for people.
She appreciated NECO for the innovation, and charge other examination bodies and agencies of the government to tap into the potential of ICT to promote efficiency and transparency.