Birnin-Kebbi -The Kebbi State Government says it will pay two billion naira outstanding debts incurred on external examinations as well as for registration of indigenous students in secondary and tertiary institutions across the state.
Gov. Atiku Bagudu disclosed this on Tuesday when he received the management staff of the Umaru Waziri Federal Polytechnic in Birnin-Kebbi.
Bagudu, who said the payment would be in phases, lamented that the state owed WAEC and NECO about two billion naira as examination fees.
He said that the state also owed the polytechnic N294.7million as registration fees for 4,948 indigenous students for three years.
He also said that it was `unfortunate’ that 90 per cent of secondary schools and tertiary institutions were dilapidated and unfit for academic and administrative activities.
Bagudu called on the polytechnic submit a furniture-design proposal to be provided in the state public schools at a subsidized rate.
He said this would help the state to reduce the cost of rehabilitating the libraries, hostels, kitchens and other infrastructure in the schools.
He pledged to improve the education sector and restore it to an enviable standard.
Earlier, Muhammed Aliyu , the Rector of the polytechnic, said the non-payment of the N247.7 million registration fees for indigenous students had denied the institution funds to implement other developments.
He appealed to the governor to always accelerate such payments for indigenous students in future.(NAN).