- Group Kicks Against WAEC, NECO Registration Fee Increase
- Group said higher fees will deepen hardship for struggling Nigerian families.
- CERON urged the Federal Government to reverse the proposed policy immediately.
The Campaign for Equal Rights and Opportunities for All Nigerians (CERON) has condemned the Federal Government’s approval of an increase in the registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the decision as insensitive amid the country’s prevailing economic hardship.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the group said millions of Nigerian families were already struggling with rising living costs and worsening poverty, warning that the increase in examination fees would place additional financial pressure on parents and could further worsen the out of school children crisis.
The Federal Ministry of Education, in a memo signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister, directed the Registrar of NECO to implement a new registration fee of ₦50,000. The ministry also stated that the same fee had been approved for WAEC.
Reacting to the development, CERON Secretary, Francis Odiir, described the decision as unacceptable and disconnected from the realities confronting ordinary Nigerians.
“The approval of the increase in examination fees is a clear indication that those in charge of this country do not understand the magnitude of the pain and suffering Nigerians are going through,” Odiir said.
According to him, many parents are already struggling to provide basic necessities for their families, making the proposed increase ill timed.
“Parents are already battling to provide food for their families, not to mention quality education. At a time like this, increasing examination fees is simply not right. Rather than easing the burden on citizens, the government is adding to their hardship,” he said.
Odiir urged the Federal Government to immediately reverse the decision, saying the proposed increase had been widely rejected by parents and education stakeholders across the country.
He warned that higher examination fees could force many students to abandon their education because their families would be unable to afford the cost.
“This policy will further worsen the out of school children crisis because many parents will struggle to pay the examination fees. As a result, many students may be forced to abandon their education,” he added.
