The Lagos State Government has awarded the outstanding students in the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, with the sum of N2 million.

The cash prizes were presented to the beneficiaries from six educational districts in partnership with a private organisation, Success Box Academic Excellence Award.

Speaking at the event on Tuesday, held at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Alausa, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Mr. Jamiu Alli-Balogun, said, “The state government is committed to develop its educational system starting with the employment of qualified teachers and ensure they receive consistent trainings that can make them compete favourably with their counterparts in the world.”

Alli-Balogun, who commended the students for the feats said that they have exhibited the competence and displayed the quality of teachings they have received from their teachers as he promised continued support for the upgrading of primary and secondary schools in the state.

Commissioner said: “Lagos State government can boast standard public schools that can be compared to any schools in the world and going with there performance of the students and also with the commitments of the government education and also organising of educational

“We also appreciate our teachers who shows that they can teach our students and enable them achieve the future that we want for them to attain as well as prepare the students for their career path. And that is the essence of the motivation that comes in terms of cash award for the students to augment their finances, particularly some of them that are already gained admission into higher institution of learning.”

Also speaking the technical partner and Chief Executive Officer, Chronicles Software Development Company, Mr Oluwatosin Koyejo, said the Success Box Academic Excellence Award was aimed at celebrating students in Lagos State public schools for their academic stride.

Koyejo said that the whole essence of the initiative is to encourage the students to brace up and  improve on their learning process.

“Today, we brought together best students across Lagos state public schools and to celebrate them for their academic strides and the selection was based on merit.

“This year we committed N2 million for the best WAEC students for the Lagos State public schools and the goal is to ensure that students that have done extremely well are rewarded and not just with a handshake but also with something to commensurate their efforts as they go along.

“It’s our own commitment to support education across all dimensions,” he said

Koyejo added that the N2 million would increase to N5 million, next year and promised to include more students into the net and spread the award outside the shores of Lagos State.

The names of the awardees are Akinkuowo Daniel Olatishe, who received the sum of a N1 million, while Akintunde Naomi, Jacob Ekeminabassi, Mulero Rahael Bello, Rihamat Ajoke and Asokere Mawanu, received N200, 000 each.

Speaking on behalf of recipients of the award, Oluwatise Akinkuowo, who got the best WASSCE’s result in Lagos public schools with an award of over N1 million, thanked the state government for providing an enabling learning environment and engaging students in competitions for academic excellence while appreciating the teachers for their efforts and commitment.

END.