The Kwara State Government has reaffirmed that the Placement Examination, popularly known as the Common Entrance Examination, remains free for all eligible pupils in public schools, warning principals and headteachers against collecting unauthorised fees from parents and guardians.
The directive was issued by the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, during a meeting in Ilorin.
According to the commissioner, the state government fully funds the examination and has not approved the collection of any payment from pupils participating in the exercise.
He urged school administrators to strictly comply with the government’s policy by ensuring that no unauthorised fees are collected under any guise.
“Our schools have consistently demonstrated commitment to government policies. We expect every school leader to sustain that confidence by ensuring the Common Entrance Examination remains completely free for every eligible child,” he said.
Olohungbebe stated that the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq remains committed to transparency, accountability and equitable access to education across the state.
He warned that any reported violation of the directive would be investigated and appropriate action taken in line with existing regulations.
The commissioner also urged school administrators to uphold the highest standards of integrity throughout the examination process, reiterating the government’s commitment to credible, fair and malpractice-free assessments.
Parents and guardians were encouraged to report any request for unauthorised payments through the Ministry of Education’s C2C helpline, with assurances that all genuine complaints would receive prompt attention.
The Common Entrance Examination serves as the placement assessment for pupils transitioning from public primary schools into public junior secondary schools across Kwara State.
