TARABA State Governor Agbu Kefas has committed the sum of ₦1.3 billion to cover the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees of 39,000 students in public secondary schools across the state.
The development forms part of the ongoing implementation of the free-education policy of his administration, which is aimed at removing financial barriers to education and ensuring that every child in Taraba has access to quality education.
The announcement was contained in a statement sent to News Point Nigeria by the Commissioner for Information and Reorientation, Zainab Jalingo.
The approval, according to the statement, covers a total of ₦1,390,209,350.00 for the settlement of the 2026 WAEC fees for 39,536 students, including payments for CASS offload, administrative charges, practicals, monitoring, sensitisation, remuneration, school albums, registration PINs, and other related examination expenses.
The government said it was also set to settle the examination fees of 38,000 registered students who take the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams as the next phase of the intervention, further expanding access to external examinations for students across the state.
In addition to the WAEC intervention, the governor has also approved the release of ₦243,832,615.00 to support food contractors and transporters involved in the state’s students exchange programme.
The approval covers feeding arrangements and transportation logistics for students participating in the programme across schools in the state.
Out of this amount, ₦148,565,040.00 is allocated for the feeding of students at Government Comprehensive Secondary School, Jalingo, and Government Day Secondary School, Wukari, while ₦52,750,490.00 and ₦42,517,085.00 are earmarked for the transportation of indigenous and non-indigenous students participating in the exchange programme across the 19 northern states.
These interventions reflect the administration’s sustained commitment to strengthening the education sector by ensuring that students participate seamlessly in both internal and external academic programmes.
Through the free-education policy, the government continues to expand access to education, improve learning infrastructure, and provide critical support that enables students across the state to pursue their academic aspirations.
The state government said it remains committed to ensuring that children in the state have no reason to be out of school, as the administration continues to prioritise education as a foundation for sustainable development.
