The National Examinations Council (NECO) has acquired a high performance Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) scanner to enhance the efficiency, credibility and security of its examinations.

Its Registrar/Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, broke the news during the inauguration of the newly installed scanning machine at the ICT Department yesterday in Minna, the Niger State capital.

In a statement by the council’s acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, said Wushishi announced that the acquisition was part of NECO’s efforts to improve accuracy, speed and reliability in its examination process.

The registrar described the scantron Insight 1500c as a high performance OMR scanner known for its precision, speed and ability to handle large volumes of scripts efficiently.

“With this new addition, we will significantly enhance our data processing capabilities, ensuring faster and more accurate results processing for millions of candidates across the world,” Wushishi said.

According to him, the newly acquired scanner has the capability to scan over 15,000 OMR sheets per hour and 250 per minute.

The registrar explained that the scanning machine, which cost about N500 million, has the capacity to simultaneously scan and score OMR sheets.

He added that the acquisition of the high-speed scanner is a testament to NECO’s commitment to leveraging technology in all its examination processes.

The council’s Director ICT Department, Mr. Goddy Usioboh, said the acquisition of the new scanner aligned with NECO’s vision of delivering world-class examination services while maintaining the integrity of its assessment.

The Technical Adviser from Scantron Company in Minnesota, U.S.A, Mr. Tom Harry, who trained NECO’s ICT Department workers on the operations of the new scanning machine, expressed satisfaction with the workers’ high level of dedication and diligence during the training.