In the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), over half of the students from Lagos State failed, with only 45.7% achieving credit passes in both English language and Mathematics. According to Mr. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, 58,188 students participated in the examination, and the high failure rate has raised significant concerns.
During a ministerial briefing marking the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, Alli-Balogun outlined the steps the state government is taking to address the issue. These measures include the introduction of a new policy that will exclusively promote high-achieving students to terminal classes, ending the practice of mass promotion, which has been seen as ineffective.
The government is also focusing on improving students’ overall development by reintroducing co-curricular activities such as sports, music, and arts. This approach aims to foster a more engaging and interactive learning environment, helping students connect better with their studies through hands-on projects and experiments.
Furthermore, principals and vice principals will now be required to teach more frequently, with principals teaching at least six periods a week and vice principals at least eight. This policy is part of a broader strategy to instill leadership and discipline within the schools.
In addition to these reforms, the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA) will intensify oversight, monitoring issues like truancy, absenteeism, and teacher misconduct. Teachers found guilty of examination malpractice or any actions compromising academic standards will face disciplinary actions.
The government has also revised its education laws and policies to align more closely with global best practices, ensuring a more effective education system for Lagos students in the future.
