The Kogi House of Assembly has issued a decisive ultimatum, mandating the state Ministry of Education to disburse N497.3 million in examination fees to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) by December 30. Expressing concern over the delay, the assembly questioned the reasons behind the hold-up in transferring funds, which Governor Yahaya Bello had already released for this purpose.
During Thursday’s plenary sitting, Speaker Umar Yusuf delivered the ultimatum directly to the state Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology, Wemi Jones. The decision was prompted by the need for clarification on matters related to the examination fees.
Commissioner Jones, while addressing the assembly, revealed that a state of confusion had arisen due to certain school principals collecting WAEC fees and additional levies, despite the state government releasing the allocated funds. In November, Governor Bello had earmarked N497.3 million for the payment of fees for 15,033 students spread across the state’s 21 local government areas.
Acknowledging the release of funds, Commissioner Jones assured the assembly that the funds were intact in the ministry’s account and that the payment process was underway. He stated, “I hereby wish to inform this honourable house that the fund released by our caring governor is not missing but intact in the coffers of the ministry’s account. I assure you that very soon, it will reach WAEC before the closing date of Jan. 28, 2024, and not to any principal or school.”
However, he sternly warned school principals and examination officers against engaging in any criminal activities, such as collecting student payments for WAEC, PTA, or any other levies. Emphasizing the commitment to free education in the eyes of Governor Bello and the state of Kogi, Jones made it clear that principals, school heads, and examination officers are prohibited from collecting any amount from students as WAEC or PTA levy in Kogi.
While private schools are excluded from this government initiative, Jones noted that those in private schools would undergo a verification exercise to determine the accurate number of students. He specified that the fee for WAEC in the state is set at N33,100 for the year 2024 and cautioned private schools against imposing additional charges to avoid sanctions from the ministry.
