The Ondo State government on Tuesday said that it had spent N350million to register qualified students in its public secondary schools for the 2015/2016 West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) examinations.
The state Commissioner for Education, Mr Jide Adejuyigbe, told newsmen in Akure that the money was to cushion the economic hardship on parents and guardians whose children and wards were sitting for the external examination.
"The state government has continued to pay the registration fees for the WAEC exams because of its commitment to its `Education-for-All Policy'."
"So far, N110 million of the fees had been paid.
"The fact is that some students would not have been able to pay for this examination and would not have written it, if government had failed to pay,'' Adejuyigbe said.
He reiterated the state government's commitment to education, saying it was the bedrock of any society.
Adejuyigbe added that "All libraries and laboratories are being equipped; it is left for students to make use of them for proper knowledge.''
The commissioner said the state government would continue to celebrate brilliance, stressing that outstanding students would be rewarded so that others could be provoked toward good endeavours.
He enjoined students to be serious with their academics by studying hard and doing any assignments given to them by their teachers.
He urged parents and guardians to play their own roles as expected.
