The National Examinations Council said it has acquired a high-speed scanner to enhance efficiency, credibility and security of examination processing.

The Scantron Insight 1500C high-performance optical mark recognition (OMR) scanner was estimated at N700 million.

The registrar of NECO, Dantani Wushishi, stated this during the inauguration of the machine at its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) centre, on Thursday in Minna.

He said that the council’s quest to acquire the machine began in 2022, after he assumed duty in July 2021.

Mr Wushishi recalled that during the inspection of the council’s facilities it was discovered that 60 out of the 100 machines were dysfunctional, including the DRS machines, previously used by the council, had been decommissioned and no longer in production.

He said the council decided to explore alternative options and acquired spare parts to enhance the functionality of the existing machines.

“The new Scantron Insight 1500C scanner uses a digital camera and has the capacity to scan 15,000 sheets per hour and 250 sheets per minute. This was a significant improvement over the previous system which required weeks to scan the same number of sheets using 20 to 30 scanning machines,” he said.

Mr Wushishi said that the large number of OMR sheets handled by the council, particularly for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), made it imperative to acquire a technology that would enhance efficiency and reduce processing time.

Earlier, the Director of the ICT centre, Goddy Usioboh, said the council was leveraging technology to improve accuracy, speed and reliability in its examination processing.

He noted that the Scantron Insight 1500C was known for its precision, speed and ability to handle large volumes of scripts efficiently, adding that it would significantly enhance NECO’s data processing capabilities.

“It will ensure faster and more accurate results processing for millions of candidates across the country. This aligns with NECO’s vision of delivering world-class examination services while maintaining the integrity of our assessment system,” he said.

The ICT expert also urged members of staff to embrace the development and maximise their potential in their day-to-day operations. 

(NAN)