Governor Usman Ododo has approved immediate payment of 2024/2025 West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) fees of 18,734 students in public secondary schools in Kogi state.
The State Commissioner for Education, Hon. Wemi Jones disclosed this while briefing newsmen in his office in Lokoja on Tuesday.
Jones said the move was in line with the existing law on Free Examination in Public Schools assented to on 24th January this year by the immediate past Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello.
The commissioner stressed that the law had made it mandatory for Government to pay for all Internal and External examinations for the pupils in public primary and secondary schools.
According to him, Governor Ododo being part of the last administration, is building on the solid foundation in education, laid by his predecessor, Alh. Yahaya Bello.
Jones said the payment of 2024/2025 WASSCE fees would be the second in the series for SS3 students in public schools in the state.
He stressed that the Kogi Government had since 2016 placed education as first on its priorities because of the need to reduce poverty and degradation in the society.
“The 30 per cent budgetary allocation to education has made it possible for the state to massively fund education which includes the payment of fees for the students.
“The aim of this is not just to lessen the burden of fees on the parents but also to reduce the out of school children in Kogi State.
“In 2023/2024, WAEC Registration for students in Kogi State, the state government enrolled over 15,000 students for the examination.
“In 2024/2025, the state is expecting to enrol 18,734 students for WAEC across the 21 local government areas of Kogi State,” he said.
Jones noted that the increase in number of students enrollment for 2024/2025 WASSCE than that of 2023/2024 from 15,000 to 18,734, was an indication that more students were abandoning private schools for public schools.
He added that the state government has also been paying for NECO, JAMB, Common Entrance, Basic Six Examination, Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
The Commissioner pointed out that the introduction of free examination for public schools in the state was aimed at addressing out-of-school children.
He commended school principals and head teachers that have supported the programme, saying stiffer measures awaits those that intend to frustrate the initiative.
Hon. Jones added that during the last free examination exercise, principals and head teachers who were found extorting students have been sanctioned accordingly.
He said every loopholes for inflating numbers of Students for application has been blocked, warning those with the intention to extort to be prepared to lose their jobs.
