The Gombe State Executive Council has approved the sum of N661,557,121 for the payment of Senior Secondary Certificate Examination fees for 23,873 students across the state.
State Commissioner for Education, Dr Aishatu Maigari, disclosed this to journalists after the 51st Gombe State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Muhammadu Yahaya.
Maigari said the beneficiaries were selected from a mock examination conducted for 26,857 candidates.
She noted that 88 per cent of them scored 50 per cent and above, thereby qualifying for government-sponsored examination support.
She said, “A breakdown of the beneficiaries shows that 21,909 students will sit for WAEC, 1,431 for NABTEB, while 297 candidates will be presented for NBAIS.”
She added that the list also includes 183 non-indigenous students on exchange programmes in the state, as well as 53 students with special needs, stressing that the gesture reflects the inclusive education policy of Governor Yahaya.
“This reflects the inclusive nature of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya’s administration,” she said.
She further explained that the funding would be jointly provided by the state government and the 11 local governments, with a 60–40 cost-sharing ratio, respectively.
According to her, the intervention forms part of the governor’s deliberate strategy to eliminate financial barriers to education, improve academic performance, and position Gombe State as a leading centre of learning in the North-East.
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