Borno Settles N622.3m NECO Fees for 27,599 StudentsThe Borno State Government has paid N622.3 million to settle the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) fees for 27,599 students in public secondary schools across the state.The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Lawan Wakilbe, disclosed this on Friday in Maiduguri while presenting a cheque to officials of NECO.Wakilbe said the payment was part of the state government’s commitment to ensuring that financial constraints do not prevent students from accessing external examinations.
According to him, the state has consistently subsidised examination fees for eligible students since 2019, with the government investing N5.987 billion in external examination fees over the period.He said the intervention had benefited 193,396 students across the state, while the 2026 NECO payment specifically covers 27,599 public school candidates.The commissioner also disclosed that the state government committed N1.195 billion in 2026 to cover WASSCE, SSCE, Senior Islamic Studies Examination and NABTEB fees.Wakilbe added that the 2026 SSCE was conducted in 24 local government areas despite security challenges, while expressing concern over the abduction of 36 learners and a teacher during an incident in Lassa on June 29.He commended NECO officials, local government chairmen, education secretaries, principals, teachers and parents for their contributions towards the successful conduct of the examination.
Joseph Akwagiobe is a media contributor from Cross River State, Nigeria, currently based in Abuja. He is a graduate of Microbiology and has earned several professional certifications across diverse fields, reflecting his commitment to continuous learning, professional growth, and excellence.