The Zamfara State Government has paid over N3 billion in outstanding Senior Secondary Schools Examination (SSCE) fees left unpaid by the previous administration.
Alhaji Wadatau Madawaki, the State Commissioner for Science and Technical Education, disclosed this development to newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday.
According to Madawaki, the action highlighted as one of the pivotal achievements of Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration, marks a significant step forward for the state’s education system.
The settlement
He emphasized that education ranks as the second highest priority on the current administration’s agenda, emphasising its importance as the foundation for societal development.
“This is one of the greatest achievements recorded by Gov. Dauda Lawal’s administration in the education sector within one year. Education is the bedrock of development for every society. That is why, immediately upon assuming office, the governor declared a state of emergency in the education sector,” Madawaki stated.
Madawaki revealed the dire situation inherited by the current administration, where numerous students graduated from secondary schools without receiving their results due to unpaid examination fees.
“We find a situation in the state where our children graduated from secondary schools but without results. This is simply because the past administration failed to pay outstanding Senior Secondary Schools Examination fees.”
The state’s debt to the West African Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) exceeded N3 billion, resulting in withheld results and obstructing students’ enrollment in tertiary institutions across the country for the past three years.
“The state was owing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examination Council (NECO) over N3 billion.”
“This administration, within one year in office, has paid all outstanding fees to the examination bodies, amounting to over N3 billion,” Madawaki affirmed. “The students have now secured their results, previously withheld, and have enrolled in various tertiary institutions across the country.”
What you should know
The commissioner further detailed the ongoing efforts to address various challenges within the education sector.
The governor is tackling issues such as infrastructure decay, the lack of teaching and learning materials, inadequate libraries and laboratories, and the shortage of qualified teachers.
“We are working day and night to address various challenges in the education sector in the state,” he explained. “We have made proper arrangements to enhance capacity building, training, and retraining for education staff. We have embarked on the total renovation of 325 schools across the state and are constructing and renovating laboratories.”