NECO Honours Okpebholo with Excellence Award for Edo’s Outstanding SSCE Performance

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has conferred its Award of Excellence on Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, following the state's emergence as the third-best performing state in Nigeria based on the percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal examinations since the council was established.

NECO is Nigeria’s foremost national examination body that was established in April 1999. The body announced the award as part of its efforts to recognise state governments and institutions that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to educational development and academic excellence.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Patrick Ebojele, the examination body said the award is reserved for states and institutions that have consistently recorded impressive achievements in students’ academic performance and participation in its examinations.

The council noted that the recognition is based on measurable indicators, including high pass rates, expanded access to examinations, and sustained investment in the education sector.

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NECO stated that the award underscores the vital role state governments play in raising educational standards and improving learning outcomes across the country.

“By recognising excellence at the sub-national level, the award encourages healthy competition among states and reinforces the commitment to delivering quality education,” the council said.

The examination body further explained that the honour aligns with its broader mandate of promoting educational excellence and ensuring that assessment outcomes contribute meaningfully to national development.

According to NECO, the award serves not only as recognition for outstanding achievements but also as a challenge to other states and institutions to strengthen educational standards within Nigeria's education system.

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The latest recognition marks the second major education-related honour received by Governor Okpebholo's administration in less than two years.

Earlier in February, the governor was named Governor of the Year in Education by New Telegraph Newspapers in recognition of what the organisers described as transformative reforms in Edo State's education sector.

Among the achievements cited were the construction of over 100 schools, the recruitment of 6,000 teachers, and the increase in monthly funding for state-owned universities from ₦41 million to ₦500 million.

Education stakeholders in Edo State have described the NECO award as a reflection of the government's growing investment in education and the positive impact of its policies on academic performance in public schools.