By Usman Usman Garba
Kano State has emerged as the best-performing state in the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE Internal) conducted by the National Examinations Council.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, who announced the results in Minna, Niger State, said 1,358,339 candidates sat for the June/July examination. Out of this figure, 818,492, representing 60.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including Mathematics and English.
He noted that 1,144,496 candidates, representing 84.26 per cent, secured five credits and above irrespective of the two core subjects.
According to him, Kano led the national chart with 68,159 candidates (5.020 per cent of the total) obtaining five credits and above, including English and Mathematics. Lagos followed with 67,007 candidates (4.930 per cent), while Oyo placed third with 48,742 candidates.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, in his reaction, attributed the success to the reforms and huge investments his administration has made in the education sector.
“Our reforms are clearly yielding results, and this outstanding performance by our students proves that Kano is on the right path. Education remains our top priority, and we will continue working tirelessly to ensure no child in Kano is left behind,” the governor said in a statement by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.
The governor recalled that his administration had declared a state of emergency in education last year and committed 31 per cent of the 2025 budget to the sector.
Some of the interventions under his administration include free uniforms and learning materials, renovation of classrooms, recruitment and training of teachers, scholarships, and targeted programmes to boost girl-child education.
The governor’s efforts have earned him several recognitions, including “Education Governor of the Year” awards from Leadership, Blueprint, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers.
Education stakeholders in the state have described the development as a “testament to leadership vision and the power of sustained investment in human capital.”