The Kano State Government has approved N3 billion for the payment of the examination fees of 141,745 indigent candidates.

The state government also disclosed results of the state’s 2024 Senior Secondary Qualifying Examination.

It has also reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to quality education and easing the financial burden on families.

The state Commissioner for Education, Ali Haruna Makoda, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kano on Saturday.

Mr Makoda said the announcement aligned with Governor Abba Yusuf’s Education Reform Agenda.

According to him, the reform agenda has already seen the declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector and the allocation of 31.5 per cent of the 2025 budget to it.

Mr Makoda disclosed that the benefiting candidates were 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).

He stated that they sat for the 2024 examination, with over 75 per cent qualifying examination as a prerequisite for the state sponsorship.

“In 2023, a total of 125,000 candidates were sponsored by the state government. This year, Yusuf has graciously approved the sponsorship of all the indigent candidates who scored a minimum of five credits in the 2024 Senior Secondary Qualifying Examination,” he said.

The commissioner said that the beneficiaries would have their registration fees fully covered for the 2025 NECO, NABTEB, NBAIS, and SSCE national examinations.

Mr Makoda said, “This is a timely and bold initiative by the Kano State Government to promote academic excellence, increase access to education, and ease the financial burden on vulnerable families.”

He directed principals to ensure that eligible candidates benefited from the scheme without any form of bias or obstruction.

Mr Makoda said, “They must access their rights unconditionally and with full transparency.’’

The commissioner said more details on the registration process would be communicated to schools and the public through the relevant education agencies such as the KERD, STSB and AIED.

He added, “With this development, Kano joins a select few Nigerian states demonstrating a strong financial and policy commitment to supporting youth education. This is not just about examinations, it is about shaping the future of Kano State through an educated and empowered generation.’’

(NAN)