The Kano State Government says it will sponsor eligible students of public secondary schools who missed the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior Secondary School Examination to sit for the November/December external examination.
The Permanent Secretary of the Kano Educational Resources Department (KERD), Hajiya Rabi’a Inuwa Hussein, disclosed this when she received the leadership of the Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE) in her office on Thursday.
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She said KERD had distributed validation forms to principals of public schools through zonal directors to compile the names of students who missed the NECO examination and require government sponsorship for the November/December examination.
According to her, the department has also introduced measures to ensure that only qualified candidates benefit from the sponsorship programme.
She explained that students would undergo biometric capturing in their respective schools as a prerequisite for enrolment.
The Permanent Secretary further warned that students with less than 75 per cent school attendance would no longer qualify for government sponsorship.
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She said the measure was aimed at strengthening accountability and ensuring that public funds were directed towards genuine and qualified candidates.
Earlier, the Co-Chairperson of the Girls Education Partnership (GEP), Dr Mairo Bello, said the delegation visited the Permanent Secretary to congratulate her on her elevation and seek her support in strengthening qualifying examinations in the state.
Bello, who described herself as an advocate of women’s inclusion, expressed satisfaction with the appointment of more women to decision-making positions in Kano State.
Also speaking, K-SAFE Co-Chairperson, Dr Auwalu Halilu, commended KERD for introducing biometric data capturing for government-sponsored candidates.
He said the initiative would enhance transparency and accountability in the government’s examination sponsorship programme.
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Other members of the delegation included K-SAFE Public Relations Officer, Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim; Chairman, Kano State School-Based Management Committee (SBMC), Alhaji Tijjani Haladu Baraya; and Hajiya Ladidi Fagge of High Level Women Advocates (HILWA).