C’River Plans Continued WAEC Fee Payments, Targets 98% Literacy

CALABAR – Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu has pledged to sustain government payment of West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees for public-school students, targeting a 98 per cent literacy rate by the end of his administration.

Otu made the commitment in his 2027 budget speech, where he said the government would also maintain free and compulsory education from primary through junior secondary school.

“With our present literacy rate of about 80.7%, we are targeting a 98% literacy rate by the end of my administration,” the governor said.

He added that his administration would continue its policy of free and compulsory education at the basic education level, alongside payment of West African Examinations Council (WAEC) fees for students in public schools.

The proposed policy aims to reduce the financial burden on families and help students access education and sit external examinations without having to bear the full cost themselves.

According to the governor’s budget speech, the state paid WAEC fees for 43,694 indigenous students during the 2026 fiscal year, representing a government investment of more than ₦1.17 billion.

Otu also said the government had expanded the number of public secondary schools from 276 to 308, while supporting classroom construction, rehabilitation and the provision of school furniture through education interventions.

For the 2027 fiscal year, the state has proposed ₦99.6 billion for education in a total budget of about ₦987.8 billion.

The governor said the administration would prioritise technical and vocational education to produce graduates equipped to create jobs rather than depend solely on available employment opportunities.

He also disclosed that the 2027 budget made provision for implementing directives on bursary payments and special allowances for indigenous medical students, following the reconstitution of the State Scholarship Board.

The proposed literacy target will require sustained efforts beyond examination-fee payments, including access to schools, effective teaching, adequate learning materials and measures to ensure pupils acquire reading and writing skills.

The 2027 budget remains a proposal, and the government’s planned expenditure and education commitments will depend on legislative approval and implementation.