The National Examination Council (NECO) has officially opened the sale of application forms for the November/December 2024 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External. This exam is designed for private candidates who are not currently enrolled in a secondary school. This detailed guide provides essential information on the registration process and examination centers for prospective candidates.
| Exam Date | November/December 2024 |
| Registration | Has commenced and ends on 6 November, 2024 |
| Exam Centres | Grouped into Neighbourhoods within states |
| Subjects | Twenty-nine subjects offered, including languages with Literature components |
| Fees | ₦22,250 registration, ₦500 per Four-figure Table |
| Payment | Five options, including ATM and Internet Banking |
| Requirements | Passport photo not more than six months old |
| ️ Special Info | Provisions for visually impaired candidates |
Registration Announcement for the 2024 SSCE External
Prospective candidates interested in registering for the November/December 2024 SSCE External are informed that the registration window is now open. Seize this opportunity to obtain your Senior School Certificate.
Locations for NECO GCE Examination Centers
Examination centres are conveniently organized by neighbourhoods within each state. Once candidates submit their registration details online, they will be automatically assigned to a centre located in the neighbourhood they selected during registration.
Subject Offerings in NECO GCE SSCE External
The SSCE External offers an extensive range of twenty-nine subjects for candidates to choose from. The subjects encompass various academic disciplines such as:
-
- English Language
- Financial Accounting
- Agricultural Science
- Arabic Language
- Biology
- Chemistry
- Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK)
- Civic Education
- Commerce
- Economics
- French
- Further Mathematics
- Geography
- Government
- Hausa
- Health Education
- History
- Igbo
- Islamic Studies
- Literature in English
- Mathematics
- Marketing
- Physical Education
- Physics
- Salesmanship
- Stenography
- Storekeeping
- Technical Drawing
- Yoruba
Candidates should note that Nigerian Languages (Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba) include Literature components.
How to Apply for NECO GCE Form
Application Fee Structure
The following is a breakdown of the fee structure for the registration process:
- Main Registration Fee: ₦22,250.00
- Four-Figure Table: ₦500.00 per copy
- Additional charges for stamp duty, service, and Remita are also applicable.
Payment Methods
Candidates or registration points, such as cyber cafes, are required to visit NECO’s official website, create and activate an account, and then proceed to pay through one of the following five payment options:
- ATM Card
- Internet Banking
- USSD
- Wallet
- Bank Branch
Important Note: The use of scratch cards for NECO transactions has been discontinued.
Registration Timeline
The registration period extends from 3 July, 2024 to 6 November, 2024. Late registration will incur an additional fee of ₦2,000.00. A walk-in registration fee is set at ₦28,000.00 per candidate.
How to Register
- Mode of Registration: Candidates can register both offline and online for the examination.
- Online Registration Steps:
- Visit the Council’s website SSCE External Link
- Create an account and purchase the registration quota.
- Proceed to a reputable cybercafé to complete the registration and capture biometric data.
- Registration Timeline: Candidates are advised to register within the stipulated period as announced on the Council’s website.
Requirements for Registration
- Photograph:
- A passport-sized photograph is required for registration.
- The photograph should not be more than six months old and must have a white background.
- A system camera can also be used to take the passport-sized photograph during the registration process, if needed.
Important Notes on Biometric Data
- Offline Registration: Biometric fingerprints will be captured during the offline registration process for each candidate.
- Examination Verification:
- Biometric verification will take place during the conduct of the examination.
- Candidates found to have mismatched fingerprints during verification will be considered as impersonators and will face sanctions according to existing laws.
Special Provisions for Visually Impaired Candidates
Candidates with visual impairments are also eligible for registration and should specify the nature of their disability during the bio-data entry in the offline application.
NECO GCE Attestation Photocards and Timetable
Upon successful registration, candidates must acquire:
- A timetable for the examination.
- At least one clear copy of the NECO Photocard, required for admission into the Examination Hall.
The Referee’s Attestation section of the Photocard must be signed and stamped by an authorised individual from the following categories:
- School Principal of a recognised Senior Secondary School
- Ordained Clergyman or Chief Imam
- Commissioned Officer of the Nigerian Armed Forces or Police, not below the rank of Captain
- Senior Civil Servant, not below GL. 14
- Legal Practitioner with a minimum of ten years of experience
It should be noted that candidates are no longer mandated to submit their attestation photo cards at NECO state offices for stamping.
NECO GCE General Information
- Non-Refundable Registration Fee: Once the registration fee is paid, it is non-refundable.
- Walk-In Candidates: Walk-in candidates can register up to six hours before the subject they intend to sit for.
- Fixed Examination Centre: After uploading, the choice of examination centre cannot be edited.
- Registration Instructions: Both candidates and cybercafé operators should carefully follow the SSCE External link on www.neco.gov.ng for guidance on the registration procedure.
- Reputable Cyber Cafés: The use of reputable cyber cafes is strongly recommended. The Council will not be responsible for registration errors. Candidates should cross-check all offline entries made on their behalf before allowing the data to be uploaded online. Note: corrections can only be made once after online upload.
- One-Time Correction: Candidates have a one-time opportunity to make corrections within two weeks after uploading their details. A complete name change is not allowed. Only one of the following can be corrected: Name (Surname, First name, or Middle name) or Passport, in addition to other registration details.
- Study Materials: Candidates are advised to review the Rules & Regulations and the Syllabus before the examination.
- Photograph Requirements: The photograph uploaded during registration will appear on the certificates.
- Centre Viability: Candidates will be notified about the viability of their examination centres at least one day before the exam date.
- Prohibited Items: Smoking and the use of electronic communication devices (e.g., programmable calculators, mobile phones, iPads, tablets, smartwatches/glasses/pens, etc.) are strictly prohibited in the exam hall.
- Dress Code: Candidates should wear casual clothing (mufti). Weapons are not allowed in the examination hall.
- Multiple Registrations: Multiple registrations are prohibited. Any candidate who registers more than once will have all their results cancelled.
- Late Entry: No candidate will be permitted to enter the exam hall after the examination has started.