The Taraba State government has fully paid for the 2025 National Examination Council (NECO), West African Examination Council (WAEC), Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), and the National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB) exams for students in public schools across the state. The payment, valued at over ₦4 billion, is part of the free and compulsory education policy initiated by Governor Agbu Kefas since taking office in 2023.
The Commissioner for Education, Dr. Augustina Yahaha, confirmed the development during an interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, highlighting the administration’s commitment to ensuring no child in the state is denied access to quality education due to financial constraints. She noted that the substantial cost of paying for four major examination bodies delayed the supply of desks and other essential learning materials to public school students. This clarification comes in response to media reports about students sitting on the floor during examinations in some schools.
“With free education, thousands of children returned to our public schools in Taraba State. The number of desks and learning materials was no longer enough. That was why last year, the governor ordered the construction of more desks, which we provided for over 12,000 students in 2024,” she said.
In 2025, the issue persisted due to increasing enrollment, prompting the government to approve the production of another 12,000 desks. The commissioner assured that now that the state has completed all payments for final year examinations, it will shift full attention to providing adequate seating and learning materials in the coming weeks.
She also addressed concerns raised by parents about the primary school leaving certificate, explaining that the National Council of Education had abolished the certificate nationwide since 2023. She urged parents to accept this policy change, emphasizing that the certificate is no longer obtainable anywhere in the country.
Source: https://leadership.ng/
