On Thursday, the Lagos State Government revealed that it disbursed a cumulative amount of N4.2 billion over four years for the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) fees of students.
Governor Sanwo-Olu disclosed this information during the Ministerial Session of the 67th National Council on Education (NCE) meeting held in Ikeja. The session centered on the theme: ”Addressing the Challenges of Policy Implementation: A Panacea for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda.”
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Primary and Basic Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said the government had not defaulted in the payment of WAEC fees for all public school students in SS3.
He said the payment of the examination fee was a policy which commenced in 2000, when President Bola Tinubu was the Lagos State Governor.
According to him, the intervention started with N200 million in 2000 but metamorphosed into a financial commitment of over N1 billion yearly.
”In the last four years, we have paid over N4.2 billion to keep our promise of full payment of West African Senior School Certificate Examination fees for our public school students, to ensure no student is left behind in the secondary school level of education,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu emphasized that facilitating education accessibility, regardless of gender or ability, was a primary governmental focus.
He highlighted the introduction of free primary and secondary education following the enactment of the Lagos Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Law of 2005. This law mandated free, compulsory, universal basic education for all children within the primary and secondary school age brackets. Parents and guardians were obligated to ensure that children under their care attended school.
This initiative has shown promising outcomes, with a notable rise in the enrollment of children in these educational tiers, Sanwo-Olu noted.
Furthermore, the governor highlighted an increase in the establishment of schools, especially in developing and rural areas within the state. He mentioned the approval for the establishment of six secondary schools between January and November, aiming to facilitate easier access to secondary education.
