Bauchi Gov’t to host the 4th edition of the Federal Education Sector Games.
By Abubakar Baba Ahmad.
Bauchi State Government says it is paying external examinations registration fees for 14,170 SS3 indexed students in public schools as against the over twenty thousand that sat for the Mock Examination.
The State Commissioner of Education Dr Jamila Muhammad Dahiru who stated this at a press briefing in Bauchi, said the discrepancy followed the inability of about seven thousand students out the number to either pass the mock examination with at least a D grade, lack of index number or did not participate in the aptitude test conducted on the first of February, 2024.
Dr Jamila Dahiru said the state government only paid the examination fees of students with index numbers who passed with A, B, C and D grades as an encouragement and to serve as yardstick for upcoming students to perform well.
“Governor Bala Mohammed has allocated funds totaling 396,963,000 NGN to cover the external examination fees, including NECO, WAEC, NBAIS, and JAMB, for a total of 14,170 SS3 indexed students in public schools to benefit from sponsorship across the state for the 2023/2024 academic session”, Dr Jamila states.
According to the Commissioner, there has been increase in number of students benefitting from the gesture with additional 6.5 percent in 2021/2022 and over 10 percent in 2022/2023 and approximately 26.58 percent in the cumulative years.
“This substantial investment underscores Governor Bala’s commitment to fostering educational excellence and easing financial burdens on students and parents, particularly during these challenging times” she notes.
She said unlike previous administrations where payments for external examinations were often delayed or covered through borrowed funds, Governor Bala Mohammed has ensured that the exams fees were paid upfront, including the settlement of examination fees debts incurred by previous administrations since 2020.
Dr Jamila Dahiru further disclosed that the the money paid for the external examinations to the tune of about four hundred million naira covers NECO, WAEC, NBAIS and NABTEB, with JAMB being paid for only students who passed the aptitude test with A grade.
“This strategic move is intended to inspire other students to strive for academic excellence and reinforces the government’s dedication to nurturing a culture of meritocracy in education”.
Meanwhile, the state Governor has accepted to host the 4th edition of the Federal Education Sector Games slated for 5th to 15th May, 2024.
The event is for all Departments and Agencies under the Federal Ministry of Education to include NUC, NBTE, UBEC, NTI among others.
