No fewer than 26,592 public school students in Lagos State failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), according to the State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr Jamiu Alli-Balogun.
The commissioner disclosed on Thursday during the annual ministerial press briefing held at Alausa, Ikeja. He revealed that 45.7 per cent of the 58,188 candidates from public schools who sat for the examination did not attain the required pass mark.
The revelation has sparked widespread concern across the state’s education sector, especially in light of the government’s significant financial investment in the examination.
“All 58,188 public school students who sat for the 2024 WASSCE had their fees fully paid by the Lagos State Government to the tune of N1,577,794,000,” Alli-Balogun said.
In response to the alarming failure rate, the state government has introduced stricter accountability measures to ensure only eligible students benefit from government-sponsored examinations going forward. This includes the use of biometric and image registration to verify student identities.
“For the 2025 WASSCE, 56,134 students were successfully registered as genuine beneficiaries of the state’s examination sponsorship initiative,” the commissioner disclosed.
As part of efforts to improve performance and curb academic decline, the Lagos State Government has launched the Eko Learners’ Support Programme, targeted at WASSCE and NECO candidates in public schools.
Unveiled on January 14, 2025, the programme is designed to equip students with academic resources through a hybrid learning model that combines traditional and digital education delivery.
According to Alli-Balogun, the initiative includes the broadcast of 320 pre-recorded lessons across 10 key subjects—English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Government, History, Literature-in-English, and Yoruba.
Each 30-minute lesson will air on Lagos Television (LTV) and be archived across multiple digital platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), creating a virtual library for students to access learning materials at their convenience.
“This forward-thinking initiative underscores the Ministry’s commitment to building an educational system that fosters academic achievement, creativity, and critical thinking, It is a supportive ecosystem where every student, regardless of background, can thrive.” He noted.
Alli-Balogun called on students, particularly those in boarding schools, to fully leverage the initiative as part of their academic journey.
“I encourage all our students to take advantage of the Eko Learners’ Support Programme. Education is a lifelong journey, and we must seize every opportunity to grow and succeed,” he said.
