The Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, under the leadership of Commissioner Tolani Alli-Balogun, has announced a significant allocation of N1.5 billion to register 58,000 SS3 students for the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Alli-Balogun revealed this during a briefing at the state secretariat, marking the first year anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term in office. The allocation underscores the government’s unwavering commitment to supporting public school students in their academic pursuits.

Throughout Governor Sanwo-Olu’s first term in office, the Lagos State government consistently covered the WASSCE registration fees for all SS3 students in public schools. Over the four-year period from 2020 to 2023, the government disbursed over N4.2 billion towards this initiative, ensuring that financial constraints did not hinder students’ access to the examination.

In alignment with this commitment, the governor has approved the allocation of N1,571,076,000 for the 2024 academic year, covering registration fees and associated costs for 58,188 SS3 students slated to write the WASSCE. The announcement comes amid efforts by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) to transition towards computer-based examinations starting in 2024.

Following the release of the results for the first-ever CBT exam, known as the 2024–First Series, in March, WAEC reported a promising performance by candidates. Out of the 8,139 candidates who sat for the examination, 3,424 candidates, representing 42.07%, obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects, signaling an encouraging start to the era of computer-based testing in the WASSCE.