Rivers Spends N2bn on Free WAEC Registration in Two Years

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

The Rivers State Commissioner for Education, Prof. Kaniye Ebeku, has disclosed that the state government spent over N1billion yearly in the free registration of West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) for students in public schools across the state.

Prof Ebeku made the disclosure yesterday, after an extensive meeting with principals of government owned schools in the state, held in Port Harcourt.

The commissioner also disclosed that the State government has zero tolerance for examination malpractices.

He admonished the principals to ensure that their schools are not indicted by WAEC for exam malpractices, otherwise  they would face dismissal.

 Ebeku said: “The state government is making a lot of investment in the field of education. Last year, I checked the aggregate of expenditure by the state government for WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and JAMB sponsorships and I said the state government spent over N1billion last year on free WAEC sponsorship.

“Today, I have called to show you that only for WAEC sponsorship alone for this year, we have spent about N1billion and you can go to WAEC and verify.

“Again, you have known from my interaction with the principals, that the state government, the Ministry of Education has zero tolerance for examination malpractice.

“We have reiterated and warned the school principals that if we catch them wanting, if they allow their school to be used as miracle centres for exam malpractices and WAEC sanctions them, we will not just demote but dismiss them,” Ebeku warned.