The Lagos State Government has expressed concern after 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), sparking alarm within the state’s education sector.
Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, revealed the figures during a ministerial briefing held Thursday in Alausa, Ikeja. He stated that 45.7% of the 58,188 public school candidates did not pass the examination.
This comes despite a substantial investment by the government, which paid ₦1.577 billion in WAEC fees for the students.
“Suffice to say, ₦1,577,794,000 was paid by the state government to cover examination fees for 58,188 students registered for the 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun said.
To ensure better accountability going forward, he noted that biometric and image registration was conducted to identify eligible candidates for the 2025 WASSCE sponsorship. This process verified 56,134 students as legitimate beneficiaries of the state’s funding.
In response to the poor results, the state government has launched an ambitious education reform – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme – targeted at WASSCE and NECO candidates. Rolled out on January 14, 2025, the initiative is a strategic move by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to improve academic performance in public schools.
“This innovative programme supports and empowers students, showcasing our commitment to transforming education in Lagos,” Alli-Balogun said.
The initiative includes the broadcast of 320 lessons across 10 core subjects – English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Government, History, Literature-in-English, and Yoruba – on Lagos Television (LTV). Each 30-minute lesson will also be made available on digital platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), creating a digital library accessible to all students.
“It’s a supportive ecosystem that encourages learning, creativity, and critical thinking. Every student, regardless of background, deserves the chance to reach their full potential,” the commissioner said.
He concluded by urging students, particularly those in boarding schools, to embrace the programme:
“Education is a lifelong journey. I encourage all students to take full advantage of this opportunity.”
That is a bad performance