The Gombe State Government has approved N661 million to cover Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination fees for about 23,000 students, demonstrating its commitment to easing financial pressure on families and expanding access to secondary education across the state.
A breakdown of the beneficiaries shows that 21,909 students will sit for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), 1,431 for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), while 297 candidates will be presented for the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).
Details of the decision emerged during a media briefing following a State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Inuwa Yahaya at the Government House in Gombe yesterday.
The State Commissioner for Education, Aishatu Maigari, said the council endorsed a memo from her ministry seeking approval for the payment.
Maigari explained that the beneficiaries were drawn from candidates who participated in a statewide mock examination, noting that only students who scored at least 50 percent were selected for government sponsorship.
“The selection process was rigorous and performance-based. We wanted to ensure that government resources are directed at students who have demonstrated readiness for the examinations,” she said.
The list, she Maigari, also accommodates non-indigene students on exchange programs as well as candidates living with special needs.
“This intervention reflects the inclusive education policy of the present administration. No eligible student is excluded based on background or circumstance,” the commissioner said.
Furthermore, Maigari noted that the cost of the examinations would be jointly borne by the state government and the 11 local government councils under a 60–40 funding arrangement.
She stressed that the initiative aligns with Governor Yahaya’s broader agenda to remove financial barriers to learning and strengthen Gombe’s reputation as an emerging education hub in the North-East.
