44,000 pupils set for Secondary schools sit for Common entrance exam in Kogi
Treasure Ochemeje lokoja
No fewer than 44,000 pupils of both public and private schools on Saturday, sat for the 2021 Common Entrance Examination (CEE) across the 21 Local Government Areas of Kogi State.
The state’s Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr. Wemi Jones, disclosed this while speaking to journalists shortly after monitoring the conduct of the entrance examination at some Centres in Lokoja.
The Commissioner thanked the Governor Yahaya Bello, for the prompt release of fund which had ensured the smooth conduct of the examination across the state.
Represented by Mr Dipo Ayenibe, the Director Exams, Admissions and Certifications of the Ministry, Jones said the government had put the necessary things in place by creating enabling environment for hitch free examination conduct.
According to him, by the ministry’s statistics over 44,000 pupils of both public and private schools are sitting for the common entrance examination across the 21 local government areas of the state.
He expressed his satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise in Lokoja and across the state, saying the ministry have been receiving reports from its officials from all other LGAs of the state.
He commended the teachers, pupils and their parents/guardians for their support and understanding in maintaining examination standards.
Also speaking, Mr Kassim Abdulmalik, the Education Secretary, Lokoja Local Governments Education Authority, said the conduct of the exam was timely and without any form of challenges.
Abdulmalik, who doubles as Chairman, Forum of Education Secretaries, Kogi State, noted that the monitoring of the exam was decentralized at the local government level to ensure effective monitoring.
”The children arrived on time and exam started timely despite the rain, and where we have shortage of papers, we called the ministry and they responded immediately”, Abdulmalik said.
Some of the Exam Supervisors of the Centres visited, commended the State Government and the Ministry for putting the necessary arrangements in place in ensuring a smooth and hitch free examination.
Mr Musa Sulieman, the Exam Supervisor of Holy Trinity School centre, said that a total of 17 schools both public and private, with population of 487 pupils sat for the exam at the centre.
On his part, the Supervisor of Lokongoma LGEA School Centre, Mr Abdulmalik Abdullahi, said that pupils from 29 schools sat for the exam at the centre, adding that the conduct was successful.
One of the pupils, Ezekiel Ogunleye from Mamas Christian Academy, said he was excited to participate in the entrance exam as he would be advancing to secondary school.
Other examination centres visited were: Saint Mary LGEA School, Army Day Secondary School Barracks, Saint Luke Model School Adankolo, among others.