The Kwara State Government has warned principals of Senior Secondary Schools across the state against illegal charges for National Examination Council registration for prospective students who will sit for the year 2024 examinations.
The state Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Hajia Sa’adatu Modibbo-Kawu, gave the warning during a floating exercise which marked the commencement of the registration for the year 2024 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination.
In a statement released on Monday by Peter Amogbonjaye, press secretary in the ministry and made available to our correspondent, the government gave the approved total fee payable for the national examination for 2024 as N28,500 per student with a breakdown to include NECO Fee of N22,250:00; e-registration charges of N1,250:00; administrative charges, N2,000; four figure table, N500:00; waterproof certificate and jacket/folder, N500 and N2500 respectively, with a total payment for NECO per candidate at N28,500.00 only.
The commissioner emphasised that the government would not tolerate additional charges from any principal, apart from the approved fee for NECO by the Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development.
Modibbo-Kawu urged the principals to desist from all acts that could dent the image of the government, noting that violators would face the full wrath of the law.
She also cautioned them against aiding and abetting examination malpractices, stressing that the present administration had zero tolerance for examination malpractices.
“I want to strongly emphasise the importance of maintaining the highest standards of integrity during examinations in the interest of our children and the State. We urge everyone here present and others not here to desist from any form of involvement in exam malpractices,” the commissioner said.
Modibbo-Kawu appreciated the unrelenting efforts of the principals in ensuring good working relationships with the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development to enhance education standards in the state.
“I want to appreciate the leadership of principals for the support the Ministry has always enjoyed from you. This is one of the reasons we are making progress as far as our schools are concerned. I also want to commend the principals who have been up and doing, I say kudos to you,” she added.
While soliciting continued support from the principals for the AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration, which she said was committed to the welfare of teachers and the citizens, the commissioner disclosed the governor’s continued commitment to improving the education standards, with the recent payment of re-accreditation fees for all 236 schools that were due for the programme, to the examination body (NECO) as well as subsidised year 2024 BECE fees for about 55,000 JSS 3 students in the state.
Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of Kwara State Teaching Service Commission, Mallam Bello Abubakar, who was represented by the Director, Personnel, Finance and Supply of the Commission, Alhaji Amuda Aliyu, applauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the achievements in education sector in the state.
Bello explained that the present administration had done well in improving teachers’ welfare and urged the teachers to reciprocate the governor’s kind gesture by remaining committed and dedicated to their statutory duties.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, Mrs. Olanrewaju Rebecca, urged principals to shun all acts that could dent their images before, during, and after the examination.
“Shun exam malpractices, be on top of your schools and never handle anything that has to do with the examination with levity. Do not allow anyone, even the parents or government officials, to interfere with the examination processes, no matter how highly placed,” she advised.
In his remark, the President of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools in the state, Comrade Usman Abdullahi, applauded Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for appointing the right people to run the affairs of the education sector in the State.
He thanked the governor for revamping the education sector in the state through the rehabilitation and construction of schools across the three senatorial districts, which he pointed out was yielding positive results for the whole world.
Abdullahi promised to justify the confidence reposed in them by being up and doing in discharging their constitutional duties.
