By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has urged the Bauchi State Government to sustain its initiative on sponsorship of external and exit examinations to ease the financial burden on parents and ensure wider participation of students.
A statement by Jalaludeen Usman, the Information and Public Relations Officer of the State Ministry of Education says Mrs Deborah Rukop, the North-East Zonal Director of NECO, made the call when she led a delegation to the Education Commissioner in his office.
The statement quotes Mrs Deborah Rukop as saying that the sponsoring if Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) candidates, payment of re-accreditation fee for public schools, introduction of free education initiatives to reduce out-of-school children, providing scholarships to students both at home and abroad, and renovation of schools are remarkable investments.
“We must commend the Bauchi State Government under the leadership of His Excellency Senator Bala Mohammed for sponsoring Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) candidates for several years, paying for the re-accreditation of public schools to maintain quality standards, introducing free education initiatives that reduce out-of-school children, providing scholarships for Bauchi students both at home and abroad, and renovating schools to create a conducive learning environment”, Rukop says.
Rukop, who said the visit was aimed at commending Governor Bala Mohammed for the sustained support to students across the state, appealed for the extension of similar support to the Basic Education Certificate Examination BECE, which she described as a globally recognized assessment.
According to her, government sponsorship of the exam would ease the financial burden on parents and ensure wider participation of junior secondary school students.
Responding, Dr Lawal Mohammed, the Commissioner of Education, reaffirmed commitment to prioritising education, acknowledged the Governor’s for settling all inherited debts on examination fees.
“Since the coming of Governor Bala Mohammed, Bauchi State has never written examinations on debt. He cleared all outstanding backlogs left by previous administrations. He is education friendly, and everything we are doing is with his support”, Lawal states.
On the issue of BECE, Dr Lawal explained that the ministry currently organises the examination internally but assured that the proposal for collaboration with NECO would be given serious consideration.
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