71.27% Pass English, Maths As NABTEB Releases 2023 Exam Results

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has announced the release of the Ordinary and Advanced Levels Craft Certificate Examination results for private candidates.

These exams, which spanned from November 6 to December 9, 2023, encompassed the National Business Certificate (NBC)/National Technical Certificate (NTC) and the Advanced National Business Certificate (ANBC)/Advanced National Technical Certificate (ANTC) qualifications.

Out of the 39,478 candidates who participated in the NBC/NTC examinations, 28,137 secured five credits and above, including in English Language and Mathematics, marking a success rate of 71.27 per cent.

Additionally, 37,476 candidates achieved five credits and above, regardless of their scores in English Language and Mathematics, accounting for 94.93 per cent of participants.

These results, however, represented a slight decline from the performance in the November/December 2022 session.

During that period, 21,103 candidates, translating to 75.96 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including in English Language and Mathematics.

Moreover, 26,561 candidates, or 95.61 percent, achieved five credits and above, with or without these two subjects.

The announcement was made by NABTEB’s Registrar/Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Ifeoma Isiugo-Abanihe, during a press briefing at the board’s national headquarters in Ikpoba Hill, Benin, Edo State.

Alongside the results, Isiugo-Abanihe introduced an innovative approach to certificate issuance, stating that NABTEB had implemented an electronic process for promptly distributing certificates to candidates online.

This digital initiative also extends to electronic certificates for all previous examinations conducted by NABTEB, streamlining the process and enhancing accessibility for candidates.

She said, “Analyses of candidates’ enrolment for the examinations indicate that total enrolment was 43,594 candidates, consisting of 26,004 males and 17,590 females, who registered for the examinations in 1,746 centres.

“Enrolment figures and performance of candidates in the examinations further indicate that a total of 43,502 candidates sat for the examinations, representing 99.79 per cent of the total enrolment. Out of 34,954 candidates that sat for various Trades at the Crafts level, 14,389 candidates, representing 41.17 per cent were certified as Craftsmen. This is lower than the 2022 performance, where 62.71 per cent were certified as Craftsmen.

“At the Advanced level, out of 3,829 candidates that sat for various Trades at the Master Crafts level, 2,099 candidates, representing 54.82 per cent were certified as Master Craftsmen. This also is an improvement over the 2022 performance, where 48.63 percent were certified at Master Crafts level.”

NABTEB’s registrar/CEO also stated that the business of conducting national examinations was a challenging one, but remained thankful to God that the board had continued to conduct successful and credible examinations every year, despite all odds.

She revealed that NABTEB had continued strengthening its quality assurance mechanisms, including measures to checkmate examination malpractice, with the efforts now yielding desirable results.

Isiugo-Abanihe said: “For the examinations under reference, 246 candidates, representing 0.57 percent of the total candidates that sat for the examinations, were found to be involved in examination malpractice. Comparatively, 123 candidates, representing 0.39 percent of the total candidates that sat for the 2022 November/December certificate examinations were established to have been involved in examination malpractice, which implies a slight increase in malpractice incidences.

“The board will continue to make more efforts by stepping-up training of examination personnel, and the use of technology, to further check examination fraud.”

NABTEB’s registrar/CEO also stated a dire need for increased emphasis on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), at all levels in Nigeria.

She said, “The principal objective of TVET is to train youths and adults alike, preparing them to develop relevant skills needed for today’s labour market, and for academic progression. Once again, let me remind you that NABTEB is poised to conduct examinations and assessments leading to the award of vocational and business qualifications. Its curriculum and examination structures include a wide range of Trades and general education subjects, which prepare candidates to meet the dual purposes of the world of work and academic progression.

“The global economy today offers Nigeria new opportunities to adopt TVET, technology, and science as veritable tools for national growth and development. This and many others are the concerns of the present administration, and the Honourable Minister of Education is vigorously championing the realisation of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu, in the newly-packaged Roadmap for the Nigeria Education Sector.”

Isiugo-Abanihe also stated that there was the need to frontally address these reoccurring challenges, to usher in the desired development that was due to be achieved through increased access to TVET in Nigeria, including a grossly inadequate number of technical colleges, compared to the number of conventional secondary schools, especially in some states; and inadequate reward system for learners and graduates of TVET, resulting to low enrolments in the programmes.

She also expressed displeasure over the lack of technical manpower, equipment, and materials for effective practical activities and training; the dearth of qualified technical teachers, many of whom had retired without replacement; and the increasing cost of materials and equipment; as well as inadequate funding for TVET programmes.

NABTEB’s registrar/CEO also revealed that registration of candidates for the 2024 in-school examinations was ongoing while urging all concerned stakeholders, especially parents and guardians, to take advantage of the enormous opportunities that various qualifications issued by the board offered, thereby registering their children and wards.

She stated that the dual benefits of the qualifications – career progression and academic advancement, could not be over-emphasized.

Isiugo-Abanihe disclosed that the board had a large network of field offices in all 36 states and the six zones of Nigeria, as well as a liaison office in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, which, according to her, could be utilised by prospective candidates and stakeholders.