The Kogi State Government has paid N115 million for the settlement of Joint Administrations and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registration fees for 15,033 public school students across the state.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Wemmy Jones, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Lokoja, the state capital, on Tuesday, January 23, 2024.

Jones said the gesture was in line with the government’s free education policy under the state governor, Yahaya Bello.

The commissioner said: “The release of the sum of N115 million to cover the cost of JAMB registration fees for 15,033 students in public schools across the state is a further demonstration of the commitment of Bello to giving all Kogi children free access to education.

“The action is a follow up to the earlier payment of about N497 million to WAEC to ensure no student in Kogi public schools is made to pay a dime before writing any internal or external examination.

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“I am pleased to announce to parents of Kogi students in public schools that they do not need to bother themselves about paying for their children’s JAMB registration fees as the governor has already released funds for that purpose.

“This is happening a few weeks after the state government paid hundreds of millions of Naira to WAEC for the registration of thousands of students in public schools.

“It’s a further demonstration of the determination of the governor to ensure no Kogi student is deprived of the chance to be educated on account of poverty.

“Having surpassed the benchmark of UNESCO on education budgetary allocation, Kogi has continued to be a beautiful commentary on education for all.”

Jones added that plans were ongoing to ensure that all the students in public secondary schools across Kogi State are covered by the policy.

According to him, the state government under the leadership of Bello has strengthened education with better infrastructure, employment of qualified teachers, broadening technical education and making education free in the state.

A parent, Adejoh Philip, thanked Bello for the gesture, adding that the governor would be remembered for laying a solid foundation for the renaissance of education in Kogi State.

The Star