Governor pays N580.8m for 20,478 students’ WAEC, NABTEB, NBAIS fees
The Gombe State Government, in collaboration with 11 Local Government Areas, has approved the sum of ₦580,870,900 for the ordinary-level examinations of 20,478 students across the state.
The payment covers West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
Announcing the development on Monday after a State Executive Council meeting, Commissioner for Education, Dr. Aishatu Maigari, confirmed that offline registration had been completed, and online registration was set to begin.
“A total of 18,723 indigenous students have been paid for WAEC,” Maigari said. “Additionally, 110 exchange students from the 19 northern states, in line with Governor Muhammadu Yahaya’s tradition, have also been covered.”
She further outlined the distribution of the funds: 58 students with special needs at the Special Education Centre have had their exams fully covered.
Others include: 1,368 students in technical colleges have been paid for NABTEB, despite the Federal Government’s reclassification of science and technical colleges to purely technical institutions; and 219 students in Government Arabic Colleges have had their NBAIS fees settled.
“This brings the total number of beneficiaries to 20,478 candidates, amounting to ₦580,870,900, which will be shared between the state and local governments,” she explained.
Beyond the exam payments, Maigari revealed that the State Executive Council had approved a new sanitation roadmap for schools and healthcare facilities, aimed at improving hygiene and environmental standards.
“A coordinating body will oversee sanitation efforts, alongside the provision of hygiene infrastructure, sustainability measures, education, enforcement, and community engagement,” she said.
The initiative, involving the Commissioners for Water, Environment & Forest Resources, Health, and Education, seeks to create cleaner, healthier schools and health facilities across Gombe State, she concluded.
