SOKOTO — The Sokoto State Government has disclosed that it spent about N3.5 billion in 2026 to pay registration and examination fees for students who sat for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations across the state.
The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Prof. Ahmad Ala, represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Sanusi Aliyu Binji, disclosed this at an education support programme in Sokoto.
Ala said the expenditure was part of the state government’s efforts to remove financial barriers preventing indigent students from participating in critical public examinations.
He said, “The government’s decision to shoulder the registration and examination fees is aimed at ensuring that no child is denied the opportunity to sit for these examinations because of financial constraints.”
The commissioner also disclosed that the state recorded an 80 per cent pass rate in the 2026 examinations, describing the performance as an indication of the potential for improved educational outcomes when students and schools receive adequate institutional and financial support.
According to him, the result underscored the importance of sustained investment in education, noting that government alone could not bear the responsibility of improving learning outcomes and infrastructure across the state.
Ala therefore appealed to corporate organisations, philanthropists, development partners and other stakeholders to complement government efforts by investing in schools, learning materials, infrastructure and other initiatives aimed at improving the quality of education.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of the Sokoto State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alhaji Umar Nagwari Tambuwal, represented by the Director of Mobilisation, Hajiya Rabi Muhammad Gwadabawa, commended the initiative, particularly its focus on providing direct support to schools and learners.
Similarly, the District Head of Gagi, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, described education as the foundation for sustainable socio-economic development and urged individuals, organisations and institutions to support initiatives aimed at strengthening the education system.
Jabbi said, “Funding education must be a collective responsibility. Our youths are the future leaders of this country, and they deserve access to quality education that will equip them to confront the challenges of tomorrow.”
He described education as an important tool for addressing poverty, unemployment, insecurity and other social challenges, and called for sustained investment in the sector by the federal, state and local governments.
The programme also highlighted the role of public-private partnerships in strengthening Nigeria’s education system, particularly amid rising costs of education and learning materials.
In a vote of thanks, the Secretary of Sokoto South Local Government, Comrade Kabiru Aliyu Minanata, appreciated Pinnacle Hotel and other stakeholders for supporting the initiative.
He described their intervention as an example of how private organisations could complement government efforts to build a stronger and more inclusive education system.
