N100m NECO fees: Parents protest Zaria children's exclusion

Some parents in Zaria, Kaduna State,on Friday protested the exclusion of their children from the N100m NECO fees paid by the Kaduna State Government for final year secondary school students.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the government had since released the money to the National Examination Council.

The spokesperson of the parents, Alhaji Aliyu Yusuf-Nadabo, told newsmen that although the government had released the money, most children in the state had been excluded.

“We are not happy with the way the state ministry of education is handling this matter. As parents, we have already paid NECO money but there is no effort to refund it to us.

“The State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Ahmed Ali had announced that the state government had paid our children’s NECO fees but we are yet to get any refund,” he said.

When contacted, the Zonal Director, Zaria Education Office, Alhaji Bashir Aliyu, said the parents had misinterpreted information about the payment.

According to him, the commissioner was misquoted on the matter.

“The commissioner during the distribution of books in Kaduna said that every deserving final year indigenous student will benefit.

“The information was misconceived because it is meant to purchase NECO cards for final year indigenous students with eight credits including Mathematics and English.

“This is not the first time the state government will be doing it as the previous government had done so.

“Initially, the requirement used to be six credits in mock examination including English and Mathematics but this year’s result is excellent.

“Gov. Muktar Yero of Kaduna State is aware of the present situation, and has promised to look into the issue with a view to proffering solution to it.

“For us to take care of all the students, we need about N270m,” he said.