The Akwa Ibom State Government has officially released N778,998,500 to cover fees for the 2023/2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Idongesit Etiebiet, revealed in an interview that this payment is for 48,797 students participating in the exam, including fees for NIN registration, biometric registration, administrative costs, and 50% of the WASSCE fee.
She highlighted an increase in sundry charges, raising the State Government’s yearly payment from N1 billion to N1.5 billion, with the WASSCE fee now standing at N27,000, up from N18,000.
The initial payment aims to facilitate student participation in the exam, with an additional balance of over N700 million expected to be paid by the Government in the future.
Mrs. Etiebiet praised the Governor’s dedication to students’ welfare amid economic challenges, expressing confidence that students will appreciate the significant investments made by the Government.
Furthermore, she mentioned that the Government recently allocated an extra N100 million for Akwa Ibom State students’ bursaries in tertiary institutions nationwide. Moreover, students with disabilities have received grants ranging from N250,000 to N350,000, benefiting over 10,000 recipients since the bursary payment initiative began.
