In one of the most significant state-level education interventions in Nigeria, the Taraba State Government has released N1.39 billion to cover examination fees for tens of thousands of secondary school students, reinforcing efforts to expand access to education across the region.
Governor Agbu Kefas approved the funds for the payment of 2026 fees to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), benefiting 39,536 students in public secondary schools statewide.
The move is part of the administration’s Free Education Policy, which seeks to eliminate financial barriers and ensure that no child is denied schooling due to inability to pay.
According to details released by the government, the N1,390,209,350.00 covers a wide range of examination-related expenses, including registration PINs, practicals, monitoring, administrative charges, sensitisation, remuneration, and other logistics required for the successful conduct of the exams.
In a further expansion of the initiative, the state government disclosed plans to also pay fees for 38,000 candidates sitting for the National Examinations Council (NECO), marking the next phase of the intervention.
The dual support for both WAEC and NECO examinations signals a comprehensive strategy to improve participation in external examinations—widely regarded as critical gateways to higher education in Nigeria and across West Africa.
Beyond examination support, the government also approved N243.8 million for the Students Exchange Programme, covering feeding and transportation costs.
Breakdown of the allocation shows that:
– N148.6 million is earmarked for feeding students at Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Jalingo, and Government Day Secondary School, Wukari
– N52.75 million and N42.52 million are allocated for transportation of indigenous and non-indigenous students participating in the programme across the 19 northern states
Officials say the initiative is designed to promote inclusivity, cultural integration, and equal learning opportunities.
The Commissioner for Information and Re-orientation, Zainab Usman Jalingo, said the interventions reflect the administration’s sustained commitment to strengthening the education sector.
She noted that the policy goes beyond fee payment to include broader support systems that enable students to participate fully in both academic and co-curricular programmes.
Education stakeholders have increasingly identified examination fees as a major barrier to school completion in Nigeria, making large-scale government interventions such as this critical to reducing the number of out-of-school children.
With the latest funding approvals, Taraba joins a growing list of states investing heavily in free education policies aimed at improving access, retention, and academic progression. The government reiterated that it remains committed to ensuring that no child in the state is left behind, positioning education as a central pillar for long-term development.
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