Kogi govt pays N115m JAMB registration fees for 15,033 students

In a significant stride towards promoting education and alleviating the financial burden on parents, the Kogi State Government has disbursed a sum of N115 million to settle the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration fees for 15,033 public school students across the state. This announcement was made by the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Wemmy Jones, during a press briefing in Lokoja on Tuesday.

The Commissioner emphasized that this initiative is a continuation of the government’s unwavering commitment to providing free education, in line with Governor Yahaya Bello’s policy. Jones highlighted the government’s dedication to ensuring that every child in Kogi has unrestricted access to quality education.

“The release of the sum of N115 million to cover the cost of JAMB registration fees for 15,033 students in public schools across the state is a further demonstration of the commitment of Bello to giving all Kogi children free access to education,” stated Mr. Jones.

He also reminded the public of the earlier payment of approximately N497 million to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) to guarantee that no student in Kogi’s public schools incurs any expense before undertaking internal or external examinations.

“The governor has already released funds for that purpose. This is happening a few weeks after the state government paid hundreds of millions of Naira to WAEC for the registration of thousands of students in public schools,” Jones added.

The Commissioner praised Governor Bello for surpassing the UNESCO benchmark on education budgetary allocation and reaffirmed the state’s commitment to ensuring that the policy covers all students in public secondary schools across Kogi.

Highlighting the strides made in the education sector under Governor Bello’s leadership, Jones noted improvements in infrastructure, the employment of qualified teachers, the expansion of technical education, and the overarching commitment to making education free for all.

A pleased parent, Adejoh Philip, expressed gratitude to the governor for the initiative, asserting that Bello would be remembered for laying a solid foundation for the renaissance of education in the state. He mentioned that after witnessing the development at the GYB Model Science Secondary School, Adankolo, he decided to withdraw his child from a private school and enroll them in the state-funded institution.

“Many parents are doing the same seeing the governor has invested so much in the education of our children,” Philip stated.

This recent move reinforces Kogi State’s dedication to fostering a conducive environment for learning and ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder the educational pursuits of its students.