In a strategic move aimed at reducing the number of out-of-school children, particularly girls, in Gombe State, Governor Muhammadu Yahaya has approved the payment of examination fees for students in public schools. The covered exams include the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).

Arewa PUNCH reports that this initiative is expected to significantly impact girls’ education, as financial constraints often force many of them to drop out of school.

According to official records, out of a total of 20,478 students set to sit for WAEC, 18,723 indigenes of Gombe State had their fees paid by the state government. Additionally, 110 exchange students from the 19 northern states benefited from the governor’s consistent support for education.

Governor Yahaya also extended the payment scheme to students with special needs at the Special Education Centre, numbering 58 in SS3, as well as 1,368 NABTEB candidates in science and technical colleges. Furthermore, 219 students enrolled in Government Arabic Colleges had their examination fees covered, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 20,478, with the state government spending approximately N580,870,900 million on this initiative.

The State Coordinator of the Civil Society Action Coalition on Education, Gombe branch, Halima Mahdi, praised the governor’s decision, describing it as a commendable step toward making education more accessible to all.