2025 WASSCE: Lagos Spends N1.5bn on Exam Fees for 56,000 Students

Funmi Ogundare

As part of its commitment to free education, the Lagos State Government yesterday said it has fully sponsored the 2025 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for 56,134 final-year secondary school students at the cost of N1.5 billion.

 The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, who disclosed this at a ministerial press briefing to mark the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, revealed that biometric and image registration exercises were conducted to ensure accountability and accurately determine eligible students.

“This is part of efforts to prevent wastage and streamline the sponsorship process. Through the free education programme of Mr. Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration, parents have been relieved of the burden of paying examination fees,” he stated.

He encouraged students, particularly those in boarding schools, to take full advantage of the initiative.

The commissioner said that out of 5,815 applicants, 4,763 students were offered admission into Model Colleges and upgraded schools, adding the boarding fee was increased from N35,000 to N70,000 to improve student welfare, particularly feeding.

Alli-Balogun highlighted other projects of the administration including expansion of private education sector, construction and rehabilitation of public schools, automation of Lagos State examination board business process, among others.

 He noted that the state has granted provisional approvals to 242 new private schools marking a 147 per cent increase in approved institutions over the last year.

His words: “This includes 175 nursery/primary schools and 67 secondary schools. We have officers who go round to monitor our schools. We do retrieve provisional approvals from schools that are not up to standard. So far, we have had to shut down five private schools in the state.”

He said 17,575 students have been successfully transferred into the state’s junior and senior secondary schools from public and private institutions, adding that the state has established 17 new primary, junior and senior schools between January 2024 to date

Alli-Balogun disclosed that Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board (LASUBEB) enrolled 30,000 out-of-school children through its ‘Project Zero’ initiative and also carried out extensive training programs for teachers and education officers to improve learning outcomes.

Alli-Balogun emphasised the administration’s resolve to ensure no child is left behind in Lagos, reiterating the journey is challenging but achievable with collective effort.

He thanked educators and education partners for their continued support, and expressed optimism for even greater achievements in the coming year.