Adesanya-Davies Commends AbdulRazaq for Free Common Entrance Examination in Kwara

Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies has commended Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, for approving the full sponsorship of the 2026 Common Entrance Placement Examination for pupils seeking admission into Junior Secondary Schools across the state.

Adesanya-Davies, a former presidential candidate and Professor of Applied Linguistics, described the initiative as a demonstration of the administration’s commitment to making education inclusive, accessible and affordable for children across Kwara.

She said the decision to bear the full cost of the examination would help remove financial barriers that could prevent children from low-income families from participating in the placement exercise.

The state government had announced that the Common Entrance Placement Examination would be conducted simultaneously at accredited centres across Kwara’s 16 Local Government Areas, with registered pupils required to report to their designated centres ahead of the commencement of the examination.

According to the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Dr. Lawal Olohungbebe, registered pupils would not be required to pay any examination fee as the government would fully fund the exercise.

Adesanya-Davies particularly praised the policy, stressing that no child should be denied an educational opportunity because of the inability of their parents or guardians to afford examination fees.

She also commended the state Ministry of Education and Human Capital Development for its emphasis on a credible, transparent and merit-based examination process.

The education advocate urged the government to ensure strict enforcement of its directive against unauthorised charges, warning that illegal fees could undermine the objective of the free examination.

She encouraged parents and guardians to report any attempt to collect unauthorised examination fees through the appropriate government channels.

Adesanya-Davies also called on pupils to shun examination malpractice and approach the exercise with confidence, discipline and diligence.

According to her, the success of educational reforms should be measured not only by school enrolment figures but also by the quality, fairness and accessibility of opportunities available to children.

She urged the AbdulRazaq administration to sustain and expand policies aimed at reducing the financial burden of education on families, while improving teaching facilities, teacher development and students’ welfare.

“When government removes financial barriers to education, it opens the door of opportunity to thousands of children,” she said, describing the free Common Entrance Examination as a policy that places the educational interests of Kwara children at the centre of governance.

Adesanya-Davies, who is a Princess of Ira, Kwara State, congratulated pupils, parents, teachers and other stakeholders in the state’s education sector, expressing optimism that continued collaboration would help build a stronger and more equitable education system.