“45.7% of Lagos Public School Students Failed 2024 WASSCE” – Commissioner Jamiu Alli-Balogun

The Lagos State Government has revealed that over 26,000 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), raising concerns within the state’s education system. According to Jamiu Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, a total of 26,592 out of 58,188 students who sat for the exams in public schools did not pass, reflecting a failure rate of 45.7 percent.

This disappointing result comes despite a significant investment by the state government, which paid a total of N1.577 billion to cover the WAEC fees for the students. Alli-Balogun emphasized the scale of this financial support, stating that the government had made this substantial contribution to facilitate the students’ participation in the examination.

In response to these outcomes, the Lagos State Government has implemented new measures to improve accountability and prevent waste. For the 2025 WASSCE, biometric and image registration processes were introduced to accurately determine which students qualify for government-sponsored examination fees. The initiative successfully registered 56,134 students as beneficiaries for the upcoming exams.

Additionally, the government has launched the Eko Learners’ Support Programme, aimed at addressing the academic challenges faced by WASSCE and NECO candidates in public schools. Launched in January 2025, this program is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to provide students with the tools necessary for success. The initiative will broadcast 320 lessons across ten key subjects, including English, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Government, History, Literature-in-English, and Yoruba. These 30-minute lessons will be aired on Lagos Television and made available on digital platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).

Alli-Balogun stressed that the program is designed to foster academic achievement and critical thinking, offering every student, regardless of their background, the chance to reach their full potential. He also urged students, particularly those in boarding schools, to take full advantage of this opportunity for enhanced learning.