NECO Hosts 4th Quarter GMSC Meeting as NIEPA Focal Officer Bags Early Bird Award

Reported by Bodunde Tenabe

MINNA- The National Examinations Council (NECO) played host to the 2025 Fourth Quarter Global Ministerial SERVICOM Committee (GMSC) meeting in Minna, Niger State, gathering Nodal and Focal Officers from parastatals under the Federal Ministry of Education to review service delivery standards. The meeting, held at the Haske Hotel on January 27, 2026, was anchored on the critical theme “Enhancing Credibility and Trust in Public Examinations: Global Assessment Standards for National Development,” setting the tone for serious deliberations on integrity and transparency within the education sector.

The event commenced with a poignant goodwill message from the SERVICOM Office in the Presidency, delivered by Mrs. Kikelomo O. Aina, the Team C Lead, who represented the National Coordinator. In her address, Mrs. Aina reminded delegates that service excellence is a fundamental right of the citizenry rather than a privilege, stressing that the integrity of national examinations directly affects the global acceptance of Nigerian certificates. She challenged the committee to view every examination as a contract with the Nigerian student, noting that “trust is hard to build but easy to lose” and urging agencies to evolve from mere parastatals into “Trust Institutions”.

The technical sessions featured a presentation on “Complaints Management and Redress Mechanisms,” which equipped officers with strategies for handling difficult customers and utilizing complaints as valuable feedback for institutional improvement. The paper posited that silence in the face of stakeholder dissatisfaction breeds suspicion, whereas transparent redress mechanisms build public confidence. This segment underscored the necessity of viewing complaints not as nuisances, but as early warning signals that help institutions identify and bridge service gaps.

A major highlight of the plenary was the special recognition accorded to the National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration (NIEPA) when its SERVICOM Focal Officer, Mr. Ugo Nwosu, was honored with the “Early Bird” prize. Presented during the opening formalities, the award acknowledged Mr. Nwosu’s exceptional punctuality and discipline, singling him out among the delegates as a model of the dedication required in public service.

This achievement was described as a direct reflection of the new strategic direction at NIEPA under the leadership of the Acting Director General, Dr. David Shofoyeke. Mr. Nwosu dedicated the recognition to the Acting Director General, citing the comprehensive “transformational and reformational” agenda currently being championed by the management. This agenda has prioritized core SERVICOM tenets—transparency, accountability, and responsiveness—thereby fostering a renewed culture of professionalism within the Institute.

As the meeting concluded, the validation of NIEPA’s internal reforms at such a high-profile national forum served as a strong signal of the Institute’s commitment to aligning its operations with global best practices.