Gov Kefas Reaffirms Commitment to Affordable Education, Pays N1.8bn Exam Fees

Governor Agbu Kefas of Taraba State has reiterated his administration’s commitment to improving access to quality education and reducing the financial burden on parents and guardians through sustained investment in the education sector.

As part of the effort, the state government has paid over N1.8 billion for the registration of candidates for the 2026 external examinations across the state.

The Commissioner for Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education, Dr Augustina Godwin, disclosed this during the symbolic presentation of cheques at the National Examinations Council (NECO) office in Jalingo.

She said the gesture underscored the Governor’s resolve to ensure that no child is denied the opportunity to sit for external examinations due to financial constraints.

According to her, the government released N1,613,646,250 for the registration of 44,133 candidates for the 2026 NECO examinations.

She further stated that the state also approved N53,865,000 for the registration of 1,570 candidates for the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations.

Dr Godwin added that Governor Kefas equally approved the release of N196,822,190 for the registration of 38,956 candidates for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The commissioner noted that the present administration remained focused on repositioning the education sector through strategic investments in examination sponsorship, school infrastructure, teachers’ training and the provision of a conducive learning environment.

She urged students and teachers to reciprocate the government’s support by remaining committed to academic excellence and avoiding examination malpractice.

Dr Godwin also commended Governor Kefas for prioritising the future of children in the state, stressing that the payment of examination fees had significantly improved school enrolment and retention.

The Taraba State comptrollers of NECO and NABTEB both lauded the Governor for the intervention, noting that the free registration policy had increased participation of candidates in external examinations compared to previous years.