Parents, Students Welcome Reversal as Stakeholders Call for Sustainable Education Funding
Education Correspondent
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ABUJA — The Federal Government has suspended its proposed upward review of registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations, following widespread public criticism and concerns that higher fees would further limit access to secondary education.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the earlier communication proposing an adjustment in examination fees had been withdrawn pending broader consultations with stakeholders, including state governments, examination bodies, school administrators, parents and civil society organisations.
The ministry explained that although rising operational costs—including logistics, security, printing, technology and examination administration—necessitated a review, government considered public concerns significant enough to warrant a pause before implementing any increase.
The decision has been widely welcomed by education advocates, student organisations and opposition figures. NDC Party Presidential Candidate leader Peter Obi described the suspension as a positive demonstration that governments should remain responsive to citizens’ concerns, especially where policies directly affect access to education.
Education experts say examination costs have increasingly become a burden for many Nigerian families already battling inflation and declining purchasing power. They argue that while examination bodies require adequate funding to maintain standards, government intervention remains necessary to prevent thousands of students from being priced out of public examinations.
Policy analysts are now urging the Federal Government to develop a long-term financing model that guarantees both affordable examination fees and sustainable funding for WAEC and NECO without compromising quality.