The Federal Government has praised the conduct of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), describing the nationwide exercise as orderly, credible and efficiently coordinated, while expressing concern over the number of registered candidates who failed to show up for the examination.
The Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, gave the assessment on Saturday after monitoring the examination at selected centres in Abuja, including Model Secondary School, Maitama; Federal Government Boys College, Apo; and Federal Government Technical College, Garki.
Speaking with journalists after the inspection, the minister commended examination officials for maintaining high standards throughout the exercise and ensuring candidates were examined in a conducive environment.
“We have visited three centres and I am pleased with what we have seen. The candidates are orderly, properly seated and the examinations commenced as scheduled,” she said.
According to Ahmad, the smooth conduct of the examination reflects the commitment of the National Examinations Council (NECO) and education authorities to maintaining the integrity of the admission process into Federal Unity Colleges.
She noted that verification of registration records showed that candidates largely complied with the approved age requirement of between 10 and 12 years, a development she said strengthens confidence in the fairness of the selection process.
The minister also praised the quality of supervision at the centres visited, noting that examination halls were adequately staffed and properly organised.
“The venues are well arranged, the invigilators are adequate and the overall process has been well coordinated. It has been a successful exercise from what we have observed,” she added.
FG Concerned Over Rising Absenteeism
Despite the positive assessment, the minister expressed concern over the number of candidates who registered but failed to participate in the examination.
According to her, officials recorded a significant number of absentees in some centres, including one examination hall where as many as 18 candidates did not appear.
She described the development as worrying and said authorities would investigate the factors responsible for the absence of registered candidates.
“We observed that there are a number of students absent from the examination. In one of the halls, about 18 candidates were absent, which is quite significant. We need to understand the reasons behind this trend,” she said.
The minister noted that identifying the causes of absenteeism would help policymakers and education administrators improve participation rates in future examinations.
Female Candidates Outnumber Boys
Providing a national overview of the exercise, NECO Registrar, Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed that 58,187 candidates registered for the 2026 edition of the examination.
While the figure represents a decline from the 64,578 candidates recorded in 2025, Wushishi highlighted a major milestone in female participation.
According to him, girls accounted for more than 31,000 registered candidates, surpassing the approximately 26,000 male candidates who enrolled for the examination.
He described the development as evidence that government efforts to promote girl-child education across the country are yielding positive results.
“Female candidates are over 31,000, while male candidates are about 26,000. This demonstrates the impact of policies and programmes aimed at encouraging greater access to education for girls,” he said.
Commitment to Better School Infrastructure
The minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving learning environments in schools nationwide.
She noted that the centres visited were equipped with the furniture and facilities required for effective teaching, learning and examination administration.
According to Ahmad, investments in educational infrastructure remain a key priority as the government seeks to improve the quality of education and provide a better experience for students across the country.
Hope for Hitch-Free Exercise Nationwide
Wushishi expressed optimism that the smooth conduct observed in Abuja would be replicated across all examination centres nationwide.
He said NECO had put measures in place to ensure a seamless examination process and expected reports from other states to reflect the same level of organisation.
The National Common Entrance Examination serves as the gateway to admission into Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Schools, and remains one of the most competitive examinations for primary school pupils seeking entry into the country’s federal secondary education system.
As candidates await the release of results, education stakeholders will be paying close attention not only to performance outcomes but also to the growing participation of girls and the factors behind the notable absenteeism recorded during this year’s exercise.