The Governor of Taraba State, Dr. Agbu Kefas, has approved the release of N1,390,209,350.00 to settle payments for 2026 WAEC fees for 39, 536 students including CASS Offload, Admin Charges, Practicals, Monitoring, Sensitization, Renumeration, School Album, Registration PINs and other charges and the sum of N243,832,615.00 for food contractors, and transporters involved in the Students Exchange Programme across the state.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin disclosed this during the symbolic presentation of cheques held at the WAEC office and Government Comprehensive Secondary School (GCSS), Jalingo respectively. She explained that the intervention underscores the Kefas’s administration commitment to improving access to quality education and ensuring students participate seamlessly in both internal and external academic programmes.

According to the Commissioner, the payment covers registration, admin charges, CASS, including accreditation fees for schools under the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), feeding arrangements for boarding schools, and transportation logistics for students participating in exchange programmes.

The commissioner further explained that N148,565,040.00 is for students feeding at GCSS Jalingo and MGDSS Wukari which are paid termly while N52,750,490.00 and N42,517,085.00 are for termly transportation of students (indigenes and non-indigenes) involved in the students exchange program across the 19 northern states respectively.

She commended Governor Kefas for prioritizing education and reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to transparency and accountability in the utilization of public funds adding that this is one among the other internal and external examinations: NECO, NABTEB, BECE and MOCK.

Accepting the cheque on behalf of the examination body, the WAEC Controller for Taraba State, Ogundele Agunbiade, lauded Governor Kefas’s commitment to transforming education.

He specifically commended the state government for its logistical support, including the recent provision of utility vehicles to the council.

In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry delivered a vote of thanks, appreciating the Governor’s timely intervention and the cooperation of stakeholders in the education sector. He noted that the Governor’s gesture started since inception of office which transformed the education trajectory of the state. He equally charged the students to reciprocate this gesture by performing very well in their forthcoming exams.

The event was attended by the Secretary of the Ministry, Education Secretaries of the Post Primary Schools Management Board, Mass Education, and Library Board, as well as Directors from the Ministry and its Boards and Parastatals, alongside members of the press.