By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
Governor Bala Settles N396,963,000 for Bauchi SSCE Indexed Students Fees
By Adamu IMAM Bauchi
Ministry of Education Bauchi state, has announced the payment of N396,963,000
senior school certificate examinations SSCE to cover the external examination fees including WAEC, NECO, NBAIS and JAMB as well 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
The announcement of momentous stride in educational, contained in a press statement signed and issued to journalist by the Information Officer of the ministry Jalaludeen Usman on Friday, as Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed continues his steadfast dedication to the advancement of education in the state.
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.
The statement further revealed that, "unlike the previous years, where payments for external examinations were often delayed or covered through borrowed funds, Governor Bala Mohammed has ensured that these funds are paid upfront, also settling over 800 million naira in debts incurred by previous administrations to continue down payments for examination fees since 2020, reflecting his proactive approach to educational support"
Therefore according to the statement, "the effort is a further demonstration of commitment to educational excellence, the payments for NECO, WAEC, and NBAIS examinations extend to all indexed students who successfully passed the aptitude test conducted by the Ministry of Education on February 1st, 2024. This initiative aims to ensure that students are suitably prepared to excel in their external examinations, thus promoting quality education across the state"
Additionally, Governor Bala Mohammed's generosity extends to covering the JAMB examination fees totaling 9,560,400 NGN for 1,542 students who exhibited outstanding performance during the aptitude test, earning an impressive 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.
The significant increase in both the number of beneficiaries and the funds released for external examinations for the current academic session represents a percentage increase of approximately 59.98% from 2021/2022 to 2022/2023 and approximately 26.58% from 2022/2023 to the current year.
This increase reflects Governor Bala's unwavering commitment to ensuring equitable access to education for all students in Bauchi State, with the total amounts paid for the examinations being 196,068,002.50 NGN for 2021/2022, 313,578,000 NGN for 2022/2023, and now 396,963,600 NGN for 2023/2024, respectively.
Ministry of Education and its stakeholders extend heartfelt appreciation to His Excellency, Governor Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, for his visionary leadership and steadfast support for educational development in Bauchi State. Governor Bala's generosity and commitment to education continue to inspire hope and pave the way for a brighter future for the youth of Bauchi State.