Borno: 250 IDPs write WAEC exams, prepare for JAMB [PHOTOS]

Following the directive by the Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima, two hundred and fifty internally displaced persons have began writing this year’s West African Examination Council, WAEC, in preparation for entry into Universities and other tertiary schools.

It was the first time IDPs are writing the WAEC since they were forced out of their homes by Boko Haram insurgents at different times in 2014.

The IDPs made up of 94 female students and 156 male students were among hundreds of students whose schools and communities were attacked ‎by Boko Haram resulting in their displacement.
The students are mostly from Kukawa, Gwoza, Ngala, Bama, Monguno, Guzamala and Nganzai local government areas.
The students wrote practicals on Wednesday at three WAEC centres – Government College, Government Girls College and ‎Mustapha Umar Elkanemi Arabic Teachers College all in Maiduguri.
Chairman, Borno State Emergency Management Agency, Engineer Ahmed Satomi ‎who monitored the centres, disclosed that the 250 IDPs were those who passed a special mock exam conducted for about 1,000 IDPs who were in final year at secondary schools before they were displaced.

The Chairman said the mock exam was meant to evaluate students that were able to catch up after undergoing classes and comprehensive tutorials organized for them in camps on the orders of Governor Shettima.
Volunteer tutors that included some local NGOS, some aides of Governor Shettima and some graduates associated with the Governor took part in guiding all SS 3 IDPs through WAEC syllabus.
He explained that the IDPs were first evaluated and enrolled into four senior secondary schools: Government Secondary School, Jajeri, Govt Girls Second school, Yerwa, Govt College, Maiduguri and Government Girls College Maiduguri and provided with free uniforms, sandals, bags and books in addition to special tutorials after school hours.
Satomi added that: “Governor Kashim Shettima released funds to the Borno State Emergency Management Agency which we used to paying the WAEC fees of all the students.

“As you know, in Borno, the State ‎Government pays for WAEC but parents pay a counterpart of N6,500 as show of commitment.
“So, what SEMA paid was the counterpart since the Government already paid for all WAEC students across Borno State.
“The Governor also asked us to secure JAMB forms for all of them which is being done, we hope that all of them will do well to become eligible for University admission by end of the year”.