Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has approved an increase in the state bursary award from ₦20,000 to ₦50,000 per beneficiary as part of measures to reduce the financial burden on students and improve access to education.
The governor also approved the release of ₦1.3 billion for the payment of bursaries to eligible students across the state, describing the intervention as a strategic investment in human capital development under his administration’s ARISE Agenda.
The approval was contained in a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information, Aniekan Umanah, who disclosed that Governor Eno had also approved ₦1.968 billion for the payment of examination fees for students in public primary and secondary schools.
According to the statement, the funding covers the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations, and other state examinations, including the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), Common Entrance and Placement Examination, Senior Secondary II Promotion Examination, and entrance examinations into Senior Science Colleges and the Government Model Girls’ Secondary School.
A breakdown of the approval showed that ₦1.368 billion would be allocated for WASSCE-related expenses, including National Identification Number registration, biometric capture, science practical examinations, continuous assessment, monitoring and examination administration.
Another ₦50 million was approved for NABTEB examinations, while ₦550 million was earmarked for key state examinations.
Governor Eno directed the Ministry of Education and relevant agencies to commence immediate implementation of the approvals and ensure that students are not prevented from taking examinations due to financial constraints.
Umanah said the combined approvals of ₦1.3 billion for bursaries and ₦1.968 billion for examination fees represent an investment of more than ₦3.2 billion in the state’s education sector.
