Zamfara Govt Pays Off ₦3 Billion Outstanding SSCE Fees Debt

The Zamfara State government has settled over ₦3 billion in unpaid Senior Secondary Schools Examination (SSCE) fees, a debt inherited from the previous administration.

State Commissioner for Science and Technical Education, Wadatau Madawaki, disclosed this during a press briefing in Gusau on Tuesday.

“This is one of the greatest achievements recorded by Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration in the education sector within one year,” Madawaki stated. “Education is a top priority for the current administration, as it is fundamental to societal development.”

Madawaki lamented that many students had finished secondary school without good results due to the previous administration’s failure to pay the SSCE fees. This debt, owed to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council (NECO), amounted to over ₦3 billion, and had hindered student enrollment in tertiary institutions for the past three years.

“Within one year in office, this administration has paid all the outstanding fees, enabling students to obtain their results and enroll in various tertiary institutions nationwide,” he added.

Madawaki also highlighted ongoing efforts to address other challenges in the state’s education sector. These include infrastructure decay, lack of teaching and learning materials, inadequate libraries and laboratories, and a shortage of qualified teachers.

“We are working tirelessly to renovate 325 schools across the state and construct and renovate laboratories,” he explained.