Ike Nnachi, Abakaliki
The Member Representing, Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, has paid the West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) and Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB Fees of 1007 students.
The students were selected from the two local government areas, Ikwo and Ezza South that form his constituency.
Mr Ogah, who is the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions, said that 507 of the students are WAEC candidates while 500 will be sitting for the JAMB examination.
Flagging off the payment at Ikwo High School, Agubia Ikwo, the Lawmaker said that the students cut across 31 public schools and 29 private schools within the constituency.
He noted that all the students who have already paid the WAEC and JAMB fees before now would be refunded their money as he has already offset the bills.
Mr Ogah said the gesture is to compliment the effort of the State Governor, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru, who last week announced the payment of WAEC fees of all the students in the State.
He said the gesture is to forestall a situation where many vulnerable and brilliant students had in the past been forced to drop out of school because of inability to pay WAEC and JAMB fees.
“I, Chinedu Ogah on behalf of my foundation and in complementing the efforts of the Ebonyi State Governor, Rt. Hon Francis Nwifuru present this cheque of N13.6million as WAEC fee for 507 students in the State,” he said.
He noted that his foundation, Chiboy Foundation, commenced the payment of WAEC fees of students in the state since 15 years ago and stressed the need for other well to do individuals to emulate the gesture as education will take many of the students hawking along the streets out of the road.
The State Governor represented by the State Commissioner for Education, Prof Paul Nwobashi, said that the statistics by the state put the total number of students expected to take the WAEC examination at 15000 adding that the total budget for the payment stands at N1.2Billion.
He warned students against examination malpractice and other acts capable of jeopardising their academic pursuit and emphasised the need for them to justify the money spent by the lawmaker on them.
The Controller, West Africa Examination Council WAEC, Abakaliki branch, Mrs. Gloria Mgbike and the State Coordinator, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board JAMB, Mrs. Doris Enock, said that the lawmaker paid a total sum of N13.6million for the 507 students and N3.7million for JAMB students totaling over N16.7million.
The duo noted that with the payment made by the lawmaker, the number of WAEC and JAMB intending students has increased in the State pointing out that the burden of payment of the fees has been lifted off the shoulders of many parents who wouldn’t have been able to pay the fees.
