"The 'NECO e-Verify' is an Online Result Verification solution that guarantees instant authentication of academic and basic information about prospective candidates.
The National Examination Council (NECO) has unveiled the "NECO 'e-Verify" platform to ease the verification of results, and checkmate manipulation and falsification of results of examinations conducted by the council.
The Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Dantani Wushishi, in his address of welcome at the ceremony on Thursday in Abuja, said all requests for verification or confirmation of results were routed through its headquarters in Minna, which took a long time to process.
"The '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 explained.
Mr Wushishi said due to the growing need for verification and confirmation of results by institutions both at home and abroad, the council decided that now was the best time to introduce the e-Verify platform.
He explained that from available records, the council has observed that there were requests for verification and confirmation of results from 64 institutions across 37 countries between 2020 and 2022.
Mr Wushishi further said that similar requests were gotten from 72 institutions in Nigeria within the same period, adding that this is besides requests from individuals which are numerous.
"Result verification is an important process that helps ensure the accuracy of academic credentials.
"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 student for admission and employment purposes.
"By verifying the authenticity of candidates' results, academic institutions, employers will be more confident in that they are admitting and hiring persons who have the required qualification for further studies and specific job schedules.
"Some of the benefits of the 'NECO e-Veify Portal' include increase confidence, reduce risk and improve efficiency. This system will bring a great deal of relief to millions of our students, educational institutions and other stakeholders," Mr Wushishi, a professor, said.
The Chairperson of the occasion, who is also the Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom, Akon Eyakenyi, expressed happiness in being part of the history of NECO e-Verify.
According to her, beyond making things easier for candidates, it will hopefully generate income that threatened the financial base of NECO.
"NECO and other examination bodies in Nigeria have done well but must work towards the full automation of the entire process of examination administration, while our schools and institutions should embrace e-learning.
"This is a world of possibilities; don't see the obstacles, see the possibilities. The failures of the modern world would be those who are unable to record change early enough and key into it.
"Like what we are doing today, this is key to the change that is global. I am sure that the designers of the App are taking notice of the activities of hackers with a view to ensuring that the system is impenetrable to intruders.
"The activities of fraudsters who constantly seek to gain unauthorised access are a major headache to the modern world," she stressed.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, David Adejoh, has commended NECO for the initiative of the e-Verify platform.
"This activity seats perfectly well with the tenth pillar of ministerial strategic plan which focuses on adopting and using optically the information, technology and communication to the advancement of education in Nigeria.
"We have gathered here as proof that NECO is ensuring that its operations align with global best practices with the e-Verify portal.
"It is going to help all stakeholders to access their results and verify from anywhere in the globe. It is faster and easier than the current tedious process," Ms Adejoh said.
In his goodwill message, the acting Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC), Chris Maiyaki, congratulated NECO for unveiling the e-Verify Platform.
"The NUC coordinates the activities of over 264 Universities across the country.
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"We are happy to be associated with NECO to ensure that authentic verification of results of candidates who seek admission into universities.
"We urge NECO to ensure that the portal stands the test of time and not be subjected to manipulation by hackers," Mr Maiyaki charged.
Meanwhile, the IT expert, Sule Onu, said the portal has landing and unlanding pages that have two steps of verification.
According to him, an individual will have to register in the system with name, email address, phone number and password, adding that messages will be sent to the email and phone number.
"The process would take the individual to a page that he or she would have to pay to obtain a token."
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event attracted officials from the Ministry of Education, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Military, the Commission for Colleges of Education, the Nigeria Police and the National Assembly, among other relevant stakeholders.
(NAN)
CMY/MST
