From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi.
The Benue State Government plans to commence payment of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examinations fees for students in government-owned secondary schools beginning from this year.
Commissioner of Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar disclosed this when he appeared at the 2017 Accountability press briefing organised by the state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Thursday.
He explained that the proposal was already captured in the 2017 budget.
Ityavyar stated that the move became necessary following discovery that many students who intend to participate in these examinations could not do so because of lack funds.
He, however, stressed that the payment would only cover students in government-owned secondary schools and not extended to those in private-owned secondary schools, pointing out that only students in regular approved government secondary schools would be paid for.
The commissioner added that the state would no longer conduct mock examinations as according to him, ” mock is a useless examination which does not give any certificate.”
While noting that examination malpractices must end in the state, Ityavyar said that punishments would be meted out to proprietors of miracle centers where examination malpractices are carried out during WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations.