Over 26,000 Lagos students failed 2024 WASSCE—Commissioner
The Lagos State Government has revealed that 26,592 students from public schools did not succeed in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, causing concern within the state’s education community.
Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, made this known during a ministerial press conference held in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.
He said, “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”
This rate of failure occurred even though the state provided major financial support by paying N1.577 billion in WAEC fees on behalf of the students.
“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.
To ensure accountability and reduce waste, the commissioner explained that a biometric and photo registration process was carried out to accurately identify students eligible for government sponsorship in the 2025 WASSCE.
“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos State government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.
In response to the rising failure rate, the government introduced a new educational initiative called the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates, designed to improve performance in public schools.
This programme, which began on January 14, 2025, is part of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education’s broader mission to give Lagos students better chances of success.
“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.
He explained that the plan includes airing 320 lessons in 10 major subjects—English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Government, History, Literature-in-English, and Yoruba—bringing top-tier teaching directly to learners.
The commissioner noted that each lesson, lasting 30 minutes, would be shown on Lagos Television and also made available on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), creating an online learning archive for students.
“It is a supportive eco-system that fosters academic achievement, creativity, critical thinking… Every student deserves the opportunity to attain their full potential, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status,” the commissioner stated.
Alli-Balogun appealed to students, particularly those in boarding facilities, to take advantage of the programme.
“It is on this note that I urge and encourage students, more importantly, students in our boarding schools, to take full advantage of this initiative, as education is a lifelong journey,” he said.
