Over 26,000 Lagos students failed 2024 WASSCE

Students writing exams

The Lagos State Government has disclosed that 26,592 public school students failed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, raising alarm across the state’s education sector.

The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun, stated this during a ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja, on Thursday.

He said, “45.7 per cent of the 58,188 students from public schools who sat for the exams did not pass.”.

This failure rate comes despite the state government’s significant financial backing of N1.577bn paid on behalf of the students to cover WAEC fees.

“Suffice to say that the sum of N1,577,794,000 was paid by the state government as examination fees for 58,188 students who were captured for the year 2024 WASSCE,” Alli-Balogun announced.

In a bid to tighten accountability and avoid wastage, the commissioner disclosed that biometric and image registration was carried out to accurately determine eligible students for government sponsorship for the 2025 WASSCE.

“The exercise successfully captured and registered 56,134 students as bona fide beneficiaries of the Lagos state government’s sponsorship for the examination,” he added.

The government, however, rolled out a bold educational intervention – the Eko Learners’ Support Programme for WASSCE and NECO candidates – aimed at reversing the tide of academic failure in the state’s public schools.

Launched on January 14, 2025, the initiative is part of a broader commitment by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to equip Lagos students with tools for success.

“This forward-thinking initiative was designed to support and empower young scholars in attestation of the ministry’s commitment to advancing interest and management of the educational system in Lagos State,” Alli-Balogun stated.