The Kwara State Government has approved N60 million as registration fees for 6,167 SCCE students in the forthcoming NECO and NABTEB examinations. This brings to N120 million the amount spent by the state government on payment of examination registration fees in 2013/2014.

The Governor of the state, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who conveyed the decision via a memo to the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development, said the approval was given to increase access of indigent but deserving students to quality education in line with the administration’s Shared Prosperity programme.

“This intervention is part of our continuing commitment to expanding access to quality education. No one should miss out on quality education because their parents cannot afford fees. We will continue to support students that show a commitment to excellence through good grades at all levels of education,” Governor Ahmed said in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede.

While urging the beneficiaries to justify the state government’s gesture by excelling in the forthcoming examinations, Governor Ahmed called on youths across the state to apply themselves to their education and vocations as tremendous opportunities for growth await the diligent and creative ones among them.

A breakdown of the figures shows that the 6,167 beneficiaries are those who came out tops in the last state joint mock examinations held across the state.