The Kano State Government has approved a sum of N3 billion for the payment of examination fees for 141,745 indigent candidates across the state. It has also released the results of the 2024 Senior Secondary Qualifying Examination.
This initiative, according to the State Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, is part of the government’s continued commitment to improving access to quality education and reducing the financial burden on struggling families. Mr. Makoda made this known during a press briefing in Kano on Saturday, where he explained that the move is in line with Governor Abba Yusuf’s Education Reform Agenda.
The commissioner stated that the reform agenda has already led to the declaration of a state of emergency on the education sector and the allocation of 31.5% of the 2025 budget to it.
The beneficiaries of the state-sponsored examination fees include students from public schools under the Kano Educational Resource Department (KERD), the Science and Technical Schools Board (STSB), and the Agency for Integrated Education Development (AIED). These students had taken the 2024 qualifying examination, with over 75% of them meeting the requirements necessary for sponsorship.
He recalled that in 2023, the state government sponsored 125,000 candidates. This year, Governor Yusuf has extended the sponsorship to all indigent candidates who scored a minimum of five credits in the 2024 qualifying examination.
The commissioner confirmed that the registration fees for the 2025 NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS, and SSCE national examinations would be fully covered under this scheme.
Describing the approval as a timely and bold step, Mr. Makoda praised the state government for promoting academic excellence and supporting vulnerable families through inclusive education policies.
He directed school principals to ensure that all eligible students benefit from the scheme without any form of bias or obstruction, stressing that access to this opportunity must be granted unconditionally and transparently.
Details regarding the registration process will be communicated through the relevant educational agencies, including KERD, STSB, and AIED.
With this initiative, Mr. Makoda said, Kano joins a small group of Nigerian states that have demonstrated a strong financial and policy commitment to supporting youth education. He emphasized that the effort is not just about paying examination fees, but about shaping the future of the state through an educated and empowered generation.
