Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, has approved the payment of UTME registration fees for 3,810 students who got grades A and B in the recently concluded SSCE Aptitude Test in the State.
He has also approved payment of NABTEB exams fees for all the 1,751 SS3 Students of Government Technical Colleges along with all the 499 students sitting for NBAIS exams from Government Arabic Colleges. Next year, these categories will also be subjected to passing the Aptitude Test.
As usual, NECO registration fees for 11,580 successful candidates who scored A, B and C in the Aptitude Test will also be paid.
The State Commissioner for Education, Aliyu Tilde who announced this in a statement put the total cost of these sponsorships at N185,580,550.00.
While maintaining that the state government does not owe any of the three national examination bodies a kobo, he noted that the Governor has approved the clearing of the new amount by August ending.
The Commissioner however urged the eligible students to obtain their NIN adding that the list of eligible students will be forwarded to the schools.
” The payment of JAMB/UTME registration fees to Aptitude Test candidates is novel in the state.
“However, eligible students must hasten to obtain their NIN before the money will be paid to the bank from which the forms will be purchased. Arrangements are underway to see the immediate registration of students in their nearest local government headquarters.
“The Ministry, right now—cash in hand—is ready to pay for any eligible student who has a NIN. Show us your NIN and get your form. Yadin, biyadin.”
The list of A and B grade students eligible for the UTME sponsorship will be released to schools through their emails tomorrow. At the same time it will also be published on Principals’ WhatsApp platform, God willing.
The payment of UTME registration fees, I must hasten to say, will not be a mandatory policy on government. Rather, it will be enjoyed by meritorious students any year the government is pleased to do so within the confines of its revenue. In other words, it is a palliative—or say, incentive—that will be given whenever feasible.
