By Abdullahi Alhassan
MAIDUGURI — The Borno State Government has paid ₦622.3 million to the National Examinations Council (NECO) to cover the 2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees of 27,599 final-year students in public schools across the state.
The cheque was presented to NECO officials in Maiduguri by the Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, on behalf of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum.
The payment forms part of the state government’s education support policy introduced in 2019, under which the government subsidises 75 per cent of external examination fees for eligible public school students sitting for WASSCE, SSCE and NABTEB examinations.
Wakilbe disclosed that the state government had committed ₦1.195 billion in 2026 alone to examination fees covering WASSCE, SSCE, SISE and NABTEB.
He said the latest intervention brings the government’s total expenditure on external examination fees since 2019 to ₦5.988 billion, with 193,396 students benefiting from the scheme.
According to the Commissioner, the 2026 SSCE was conducted across Borno’s 24 Local Government Areas and proceeded largely without disruption, despite a security incident in Lassa on June 29.
The incident involved the abduction of 36 learners and a teacher, including a candidate who was reportedly sitting for an examination at the time.
Wakilbe expressed concern over the incident and appealed for the safe and immediate return of the abducted students and teacher to their families.
He said the government’s financial intervention was designed to ensure that economic hardship did not prevent any eligible child from completing secondary education and sitting for final examinations.
“This gesture reflects Governor Babagana Umara Zulum’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that no child in Borno State is denied the opportunity to sit for their final examinations because of financial hardship,” Wakilbe said.»
He added that the government would sustain the policy while working to expand access to education across the state.
The Commissioner commended NECO officials, local government chairmen, education secretaries, school principals, teachers, parents and security agencies for their contributions to the successful conduct of the examination.
He also reaffirmed the state government’s readiness to support the planned transition to Computer-Based Testing (CBT), scheduled for implementation in 2027.If you want,
