Borno govt pays N507m WAEC registration fees for 20,075 students

The Borno State Government has released N507 million to cover the cost of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration fees for 25,075 indigent students in the state.

The Borno State Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, made this known during the disbursement exercise in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Wednesday, July 3, 2024.

Wakilbe said the fund would cover the cost of registration fees for students writing the 2024 WASSCE conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

He said the state government would subsidise the examination fees by 75 per cent aimed at creating a level playing field in the school system.

The commissioner stated: “Students in both public and private schools can now access their results simultaneously.

“Borno State Government expressed sincere gratitude to WAEC. We are deeply grateful for supporting the state’s resettlement efforts.

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“Extending WASSCE examination to almost all parts of the state has significantly alleviated the challenges faced by our students.”

While commending school principals for adhering to the examination ethics and quota system, Wakilbe warned against sharp practices during the examination registration exercise.

He added: “While we support genuine ex-students with school records to retake examinations, we oppose the practice of registering external candidates without proper records.

“This illegal activity leads to issues with students verification records, indiscipline and malpractices in public schools, placing a heavy financial burden on the government.

“Any principal of a public school whose examination centre is derecognised due to malpractice will be removed from his position.

“The ministry will submit a list of accredited private schools for consideration in the 2025 WASSCE.”

Also speaking, the WAEC Zonal Coordinator in Borno State, Zakari Abdullahi, said the council would ensure prompt release of the examination results.

The Star