Cheke Emmanuel 
No fewer than 24,000 final-year students in public secondary schools across Nasarawa State are to benefit from free registration for the 2025 National Examination Council (NECO) examination, the state government has announced.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Mr. Peter Ahemba, disclosed this on Friday during a bimonthly press briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Press Centre in Lafia.
According to Ahemba, the initiative, which covers both indigenes and non-indigenes enrolled in public schools, is aimed at easing the financial burden on parents and ensuring that no eligible student is left out of the crucial examination due to lack of funds.
“This is a deliberate effort by the Sule-led administration to promote access to education and alleviate financial hardship on students and their families,” Ahemba said.
“Because of the state government’s huge investment in the education sector, Nasarawa State was ranked ninth best nationally and second best in the North-Central zone in the 2024 NECO performance index.”
He also revealed that as part of broader education reform, the state has concluded plans under the Federal Government’s Adolescent Girls Initiative for Leadership and Empowerment (AGILE) to construct 30 new classroom blocks—15 for senior secondary and 15 for junior secondary schools across the state.
On security, the governor’s aide disclosed that the government has heightened surveillance and protective measures in border communities with Benue State following recent attacks in that region.
“There had been apprehension among residents in border areas due to spillover violence from Benue. However, the state government has facilitated the safe return of displaced persons and deployed security personnel to ensure their safety,” he added.
The initiative underscores Nasarawa State’s continued commitment to strengthening its education system and safeguarding its citizens.
