The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Tolani Alli-Balogun, has expressed serious concern over the declining performance of students in state-owned schools in the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) exams.
Speaking at a strategic meeting with permanent secretaries and school principals from the state’s six education districts, Alli-Balogun noted that the results of students in the last WASSCE did not justify the massive investment the state government has made in education.
Lagos State, under its free education policy, fully funds WAEC registration fees for all SS3 students in government schools, an initiative that costs the state billions of naira annually. However, students must personally fund their NECO registration if they choose to take the exam.
To address the declining performance, the commissioner announced that automatic promotion from SS2 to SS3 would be abolished. Only students who demonstrate academic competence will be allowed to proceed to their final year and benefit from the government’s free WAEC sponsorship. He emphasized that this policy would encourage students to take their studies more seriously, fostering healthy competition and improved academic performance.
Beyond academics, Alli-Balogun urged school leaders to revitalize extracurricular activities such as sports, essay and debate competitions, arts and crafts, music, and drama. He stressed that a holistic approach to education would enhance students’ intellectual and emotional development, ultimately leading to better performance in national and international exams.
While the commissioner did not disclose specific statistics on the recent examination performance, his statement underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges affecting Lagos students and the overall quality of public education in the state.
