The Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Hon. Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, has commended the seamless conduct of the ongoing placement examinations across the state, reaffirming the government’s dedication to strengthening education infrastructure and staffing.
During an inspection tour of several examination centres on Saturday, Alli-Balogun described the exercise—which facilitates the transition of primary school pupils into junior secondary schools—as “well-organized and supervised,” despite a few minor logistical challenges.
“We observed some inadequacies in the distribution of exam materials at a few locations, but we swiftly addressed them,” the Commissioner stated.
According to him, a total of 210,465 candidates are sitting for the placement test across 592 designated centres in Lagos, with each centre accommodating between 40 and 400 pupils, depending on accessibility and location.
Alli-Balogun assured stakeholders that the state has adequate infrastructure to accommodate all successful candidates, including out-of-school children re-entering the formal education system.
Speaking on human resource development, he revealed that the Lagos State Government had replaced 1,005 retiring secondary school teachers and recently approved the recruitment of 1,318 more. He added that plans were also underway to recruit over 1,000 new teachers for the primary school level.
The Commissioner also issued a reminder to parents, stressing their legal obligation to ensure school enrollment for their children.
“Education is not just free in Lagos State, it is also the right of every child. The Child Rights Law clearly mandates school enrollment and prescribes penalties for non-compliance, including fines of up to ₦50,000,” he said.
He urged parents to take full advantage of the free education policy at both primary and secondary levels, reaffirming the government’s commitment to making quality education accessible to all.
The Commissioner visited several centres during the monitoring exercise, including L.A Nursery and Primary School, Jimoh Ijora Nursery and Primary School One and Two, Alaba Nursery and Primary School One and Two in Ajegunle, as well as L.A Nursery and Primary School One and Two, Mosafejo, and Ajegunle Ojo Road Nursery and Primary School.