Bayelsa State has been honoured with an Award of Excellence by the National Examinations Council (NECO) for its exceptional performance in national examinations.
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Presenting the award to Douye Diri during the weekly State Executive Council meeting at Government House, Yenagoa, on Wednesday, the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Gentle Emelah, said the examinations body recognised Bayelsa alongside other states as part of activities marking NECO’s 25th anniversary celebration.
Dr. Emelah stated that Bayelsa earned the award on merit for recording the highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in NECO examinations since the council’s inception.
He noted that by rewarding excellence at both state and institutional levels, NECO was reinforcing a culture of healthy competition, accountability, and continuous improvement within the education sector.
According to him, the award is not only a recognition of past achievements but also a challenge to other states and institutions to improve their standards in line with NECO’s broader mission of promoting quality education and ensuring that examination outcomes contribute to national development.
Giving a breakdown of the state’s performance, the commissioner said Bayelsa ranked first in the country “with the highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in NECO SSCE (Internal) since inception” of the examination body.
He added that Ogun State came second, while Edo State placed third.
Responding, Governor Diri expressed appreciation to NECO for the honour, describing it as a wake-up call for greater commitment to the education sector.
He charged the Ministry of Education to sustain the standard, stressing that any decline in performance would be unacceptable.
“This is a wake-up call to receive this type of award, particularly when you are competing with states that have been ahead over the years and are believed to be educationally advanced.
“It is also a wake-up call for the Commissioner for Education and the ministry. Now that Bayelsa has come to the limelight educationally and competitively, we must sustain the momentum. I do not want us to receive this award today and fall behind next year. Let it be that we continue to improve,” the governor said.
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