Parents, teachers applaud Taraba for N1.8bn WEAC, NECO fees payments

Parents of final year Secondary School students in public schools across the 16 local government areas of Taraba State have applauded Governor Agbu Kefas for payment of N1.8 billion to settle West Africa Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and other external examinations registration fees in the State.

The teachers said the settlement of the fees over the few years of Governor Agbu had returned a huge number of students, who were on the streets, back to classes with the hope of being financially assisted by the State Government in terms of school and registration fees.

Governor Kefas, on assumption of office, declared free and compulsory education in all public primary and secondary schools in Taraba State. He also reduced tuition fees across all tertiary institutions owned by the State Government to 50%.

Governor Kefas had on Monday presented cheques of over N1.8 billion to major examination bodies to facilitate the registration of students for external examinations across the State in line with his Administration’s commitment to improving access to education.

Presenting the checks at the NECO Office in Jalingo on behalf of the governor, Augustina Godwin, Commissioner for Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education, said the intervention was aimed at reducing the financial burden on parents and guardians while ensuring that eligible students in public schools are able to participate in external examinations without hindrance

Speaking with BusinessDay in Wukari, the Headquarters of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State on Wednesday, Peter Ashuku, a parent to Grace Ashuku, who is final year student at Government Day Secondary School Wukari, thanked the governor for the settlement of his daughter’s registration fee.

Also in Jalingo, Taraba State capital, Habu Ismail, a father to Rabiu Ismail, who is a final year student at Salihu Dogo Secondary School, Jalingo, who spoke to BusinessDay, said he was is very excited knowing that Governor Kefas’s Government had cleared the WAEC registration fee of his son.