Governor Monday Okpebholo has been honoured by the National Examinations Council following Edo State’s emergence as one of the top performing states in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal examinations conducted by the council.
NECO said the Edo State Governor received the Excellence Award after the state recorded the third highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above since the establishment of the examination body in 1999.
The award was announced by the council headed by its Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi.
According to NECO, the honour was based on measurable and data-driven achievements, including high pass rates, improved access to examinations and sustained investment in the education sector.
The council explained that the award recognises state governments and institutions that have consistently demonstrated excellence in academic performance and participation in its examinations.
“It also reflects the critical role of sub-national governments and institutions in driving educational outcomes and improving standards. By rewarding excellence at the state level, the award encourages healthy competition and stronger commitment to quality education,” the council stated.
NECO further noted that the recognition aligns with its broader mission of promoting quality education and ensuring that assessment outcomes contribute meaningfully to national development.
The examination body described the honour as not only a recognition of achievement but also a challenge to other states and institutions to improve standards within Nigeria’s education system.
The latest recognition marks the second major award received by the Okpebholo administration in the education sector within less than two years in office.
In February, Governor Okpebholo was named Governor of the Year in Education by New Telegraph Newspapers for what the organisers described as landmark reforms in the education sector during his first year in office.
Among the reforms cited were the construction of over 100 schools across Edo State, the recruitment of 6,000 teachers and the increase in monthly funding for state-owned universities from ₦41 million to ₦500 million.
Stakeholders in the education sector described the NECO recognition as evidence of increasing investment in education and its positive impact on learning outcomes in public schools across the state.
