Zamfara emerges top-performing northern NECO examination

Zamfara State has emerged as the top-performing Northern state and second in the whole of Nigeria in the National Examination Council (NECO) entrance exams for gifted students.

Last week, the national examination body released the 2024 results for admission into the Federal Government Gifted Academy, Suleja.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Zamfara Governor, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said that Zamfara State secured the highest number of slots, emerging as the best state in the entire north.

He added that throughout the country, Zamfara came second with 30 talented students, while Anambra State secured the first position with 35 students.

“Zamfara State students have achieved the highest performance in the NECO entrance exams for gifted students among the 19 Northern states, breaking a significant educational barrier.

“For the first time, Zamfara State is excelling on the national stage, marking a significant shift from its usual place at the bottom regarding performance hierarchy.

“NECO organises the ‘Gifted Examination’ for admission into the Federal Government Academy Suleja for gifted and talented children. Only final year primary school pupils under 11 years old are eligible to take the exam by December of the examination year.”

The Federal Government Academy Suleja is a training ground for proven Nigeria’s gifted and talented children. It provides significant opportunities for exceptional students to develop their potential in the interest of nation-building and technological development.

The students benefit from federal government scholarships through tuition, external examination fees, boarding, feeding, uniforms, and introductory textbooks.

“In 2024, Zamfara received three slots based on the state quota and secured an additional 27 slots based on national merit into the Federal Government Academy. The students from Zamfara performed exceptionally well in the exams, obtaining more slots than any other state in the North.

“This is a significant development, particularly considering that a state of emergency was declared in the state’s education sector last year.

“Out of the 30 qualified students from Zamfara, 21 are girls, and 9 are boys, indicating a growing emphasis on girl-child education in the state.

“The Zamfara State government will continue to make greater efforts to ensure the full implementation of the administration’s educational policies, which will lead to more successes for the state.”