After years of uncertainty, thousands of students in Zamfara State can now access their long-awaited WAEC and NECO Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) results, thanks to Governor Dauda Lawal’s intervention in settling legacy debts owed to examination bodies.

In a statement released on Saturday, Governor Lawal’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, confirmed that the administration has paid over ₦2.7 billion to the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO). These debts, accumulated by previous administrations, had led to the withholding of results dating back as far as 2014.

“This is part of the government’s emergency measures to revive education in Zamfara,” Idris stated. According to the breakdown, ₦1.4 billion was paid to WAEC and over ₦320 million to NECO, with additional arrears scheduled for settlement.

The release of these results marks a turning point for thousands of affected students who, for nearly a decade, were unable to obtain their certificates due to unpaid examination fees.

The move follows Governor Lawal’s declaration of a state of emergency in the education sector in November 2023. Since then, the government has embarked on sweeping reforms, including the renovation of over 500 schools and the introduction of teacher retraining programs.

As part of these reforms, public school students in Zamfara were also able to sit for the 2024 WAEC exams after being excluded from the 2023 edition for nonpayment.

NECO has confirmed partial payment and agreed to release results from 2014 to 2018, with full release contingent on the complete settlement of outstanding dues.

Governor Lawal’s initiative has been widely welcomed as a critical step toward restoring confidence in the state’s education system and securing brighter futures for its youth.