UPDATE: I’m not aware of plans to scrap NECO, UTME, says Education Minister

There had been reports of the Nigerian presidency's plan to scram NECO and UTME.
The Education Minister, Ruqayyatu Rufa'I , said she has yet to be
informed on any plan to scrap the National Examination Council, NECO,
and the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations , UTME.
Ms. Rufa'i spoke at a meeting with the executives of the Academic
Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, in Abuja on Thursday.
ASUP had issued a 21-day ultimatum that it would embark on a warning
strike on March 25, if its demands were not met by the Federal
Government.
She said that she had not been officially communicated on the
recommendations of the Stephen Oronsaye's white paper, as it affected
the ministry.
"As far as I am concerned, the white paper has not been officially
communicated to me.
"I am not in a position to take any decision or pass any comment on
that, so for now, we are not in a position to say anything," she said.
Earlier, ASUP President, Chibuzo Asomugha, while enumerating their
grievances, said government had failed to constitute the governing
councils for polytechnics, 18 months after they were dissolved.
Mr. Asomugha said the white paper on the visitation panels to
polytechnics had not been implemented.
He told the minister that there were still discrimination between HND
and degree holders who were lecturers as well as flagrant abuse of
standards in polytechnics, among others.
The ASUP president also alleged that some polytechnics were yet to
implement the 65-years retirement age for lecturers and were retiring
members of the union at 60 years.
Ms. Rufa'i, in her response, said many of the issues raised by the
union were problems that could have been resolved faster, if there
were existing governing councils.
She assured the union that the Federal Government was set to announce
members of governing councils for polytechnics.
Ms. Rufa'i said the white paper on polytechnics' visitation panels was
being delayed because "for every recommendation you have to look at
the policy direction of government".
The minister, however, said that some of the issues raised by the
union were not exclusively within the purview of the ministry.
She said the issues would require further consultation with the Head
of Service of the Federation, which she, promised to facilitate.

Source: Premium Times Nigeria