The Lagos State Government has expressed serious concern following the poor performance of thousands of students in the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). According to official records, a staggering 31,596 students from public secondary schools failed the examination, despite substantial financial backing from the state.
This revelation was made during the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held on Thursday at Alausa, Ikeja, where the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, presented a detailed report on the education sector’s performance under the leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat.
Alli-Balogun disclosed that the state government had disbursed a total of ₦1,577,794,000 to fully sponsor the WASSCE examination fees of 58,188 verified students, under its ongoing free education policy. However, more than half of these candidates did not pass the exams, prompting serious questions about the quality of teaching, learning environments, and overall academic preparedness in Lagos State public schools.
To strengthen accountability and eliminate fraud in the sponsorship process, the government introduced a biometric and image-based registration system for all Senior Secondary School III students. As a result, 56,134 students were confirmed as legitimate beneficiaries of the 2025 WASSCE sponsorship initiative.
“The essence of this initiative is to ease the financial burden on parents,” said Alli-Balogun. “However, to avoid waste of resources, it is essential that only eligible and deserving students are captured in the scheme.”
Efforts to Address Educational Decline and Reintegrate Out-of-School Children
In a related development, the Commissioner announced that the state successfully re-enrolled approximately 30,000 previously out-of-school children into the public education system. This move is part of the state’s broader efforts to tackle the social and economic risks associated with youth idleness and educational neglect.
This initiative falls under the Education and Technology pillar of the Sanwo-Olu administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S+ development agenda. According to Alli-Balogun, the government has adopted several strategic measures aimed at reversing the downward trend in external examination outcomes. These include the implementation of innovative teaching methods, digital learning aids, and targeted student support systems.
One such intervention is the Eko Learners’ Support Programme, launched on January 14, 2025. It is designed specifically to help students prepare more effectively for national and regional examinations such as WASSCE and NECO.
Improving Teacher Welfare and Expanding Human Resources
To enhance the motivation and welfare of educators, Governor Sanwo-Olu approved a ₦102.5 million housing loan package in 2024. This fund was used to clear 25 outstanding applications from 2020 and cater to 93 new beneficiaries in 2024.
Furthermore, the state recruited 4,353 new teachers between 2023 and 2024. These professionals have been strategically deployed across various educational districts and technical institutions under the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB).
Alli-Balogun also used the occasion to advise students to avoid social vices such as drug abuse, cultism, and gang-related activities. Instead, he encouraged them to actively engage in co-curricular programmes supported by both the government and partner NGOs, which provide positive outlets for their talents and energy.
Tertiary Education Transformation Underway
In a separate briefing, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Mr. Tolani Sule, shared progress reports on reforms targeted at Lagos State’s higher institutions.
Sule stated that efforts are ongoing to reposition tertiary institutions in alignment with the administration’s broader developmental objectives. Highlights of the reforms include the rehabilitation of 30 secondary school libraries and the harmonisation of salary structures across all state-owned universities to ensure equity and boost staff morale.
He also revealed plans to upgrade the Lagos State University College of Medicine into a fully autonomous University of Medical and Health Sciences.
Sule noted that institutions such as Lagos State University (LASU), Lagos State University of Education (LASUED), and Lagos State University of Science and Technology (LASUSTECH) are making significant strides through capacity-building programmes, international partnerships, and collaborative research initiatives.
The state government is also investing heavily in infrastructure development, digital literacy, sports, innovation hubs, and the accreditation of academic and professional programmes to enhance the global competitiveness of its tertiary institutions.
