Di Federal Government of Nigeria don suspend di proposed increase for registration fees for 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination. Di suspension come after plenty concern from stakeholders and di public.
Di Federal Ministry of Education, for one statement wey dem release yesterday, announce say dem don withdraw di letter wey carry di proposed fee adjustment wey date June 18, 2026. Dem say dem need to do more consultation with relevant stakeholders before any final decision.
Di proposed review wey go raise examination fee from N27,500 to N50,000 don cause worry among parents, education advocates and stakeholders. Dem fear say e fit affect access to secondary education, especially for students from low-income households.
For di statement wey di Director of Press and Public Relations for Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo sign, dem say di decision to suspend di review dey in line with di Federal Government commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
Reacting to di suspension, former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, welcome di decision. He describe am as victory for Nigerian parents, students and civil society groups.
For statement wey im Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu issue, Atiku say di reversal vindicate im earlier warning say raising examination fees go worsen educational inequality and deny many indigent students access to higher education.
While Atiku commend di government for suspending di proposal, he question why di administration often dey wait for widespread public criticism before reversing controversial policies. He argue say governments suppose consult stakeholders before introducing major policies, not reverse after public opposition.
According to di former Vice President, di proposed fee increase go add more financial burden on families wey already dey grapple with inflation, high transportation costs, rising electricity tariffs and declining purchasing power.
Similarly, di Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, don describe di suspension as victory for Nigerians. For statement wey im post for X, Peter Obi note: “I receive di welcome news of di suspension of di newly introduced examination fees with relief. This na victory for di Nigerian people.”
Di Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) don also criticise di now-suspended proposal. Dem insist say access to education no suppose dey sacrificed for pursuit of revenue.
Speaking for Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Tuesday, Ogun State ASUSS Chairman, Felix Agbesanwa, say policymakers must consider di economic realities wey Nigerian families dey face before introducing measures wey fit increase di cost of education.
According to am, while examination bodies like WAEC and NECO get genuine operational challenges, any decision to raise fees suppose dey implemented with caution and sensitivity to di plight of parents.
“Education no suppose be revenue-generating means from di less privileged, though NECO and WAEC serve as internally generated revenue sources for di Ministry of Education. You no fit blame dem; dem get dia own ways of conducting di examinations,” he tok.
Agbesanwa acknowledge di financial demands wey dey involve for administering nationwide examinations, including printing question papers, transporting materials across di country, conducting examinations, marking scripts and releasing results within stipulated timelines.
“If we look at di bottlenecks wey dem get to overcome, dem print examination questions, conduct examinations, move materials across states, mark papers and release results on time. Nevertheless, there suppose be proper process for introducing policies of dis nature,” he add.
Im remarks follow di Federal Government proposal to increase registration fees for di 2027 WAEC and NECO examinations from N27,000 to N50,000, citing rising costs associated with logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance.
But di proposal dem suspend on Monday after attracting widespread criticism from parents, students and other stakeholders for di education sector.
Despite recognising di financial pressures on examination bodies, Agbesanwa maintain say increasing examination fees no be priority Nigerians fit afford at dis time.
“Even if there be need to increase WAEC and NECO fees, dis no be di right time considering wetin Nigerian parents dey go through,” he tok.
He urge authorities to take into account di struggles of families wey dey try to keep dia children for school amid rising living costs.
“Think about parents with three children for school wey dey struggle to support dem from JSS1 to SS3, or parents wey fit barely provide food for dia children before dem leave for school. Dese na di realities wey suppose dey considered when formulating policies,” Agbesanwa tok.
He stress say educational policies must strike balance between di financial needs of examination bodies and di ability of ordinary Nigerians to access education without additional hardship.
Di Federal Ministry of Education, for dia statement, explain say di proposed review na sake of economic realities and di rising cost of conducting credible national examinations. According to di statement, examination registration fees don remain unchanged for several years despite ogbonge increases for operational costs, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and oda essential services wey dey required to maintain di integrity of public examinations nationwide.
Di Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, bin direct say make di proposal “dey on hold in line wit di federal govment commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.”
“Di decision underscore di ministry determination to ensure say policies wey dey affect millions of Nigerian students and dia families dey carefully considered, socially responsive and reflect di collective interest of di nation,” di statement tok.
Di ministry say dem go engage extensively wit examination bodis, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and oda critical partners as part of di fresh review process.
Dem say di consultations go ensure any future decision on examination fees dey fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing economic realities while safeguarding access to education.
Di ministry say di proposed review of examination registration fees no go take effect as earlier communicated until di consultation process dey concluded. Dem also reassure Nigerians say di welfare of students, equitable access to quality education and responsible policy decisions remain central to di Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration.
Di ministry add say dem go continue to keep di public informed throughout di consultation process.
