More Nigerians Back FG’s Decision to Suspend WASSCE and NECO Fee Increment

The Federal Government's decision to suspend the proposed increase in registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) has continued to receive widespread commendation, with parents and education stakeholders in Enugu State describing the move as a major relief.

The Ministry of Education had on Monday announced the suspension of the planned fee increase following widespread criticism from parents, school owners, education groups and members of the public. The proposal sought to raise the examination registration fee from about ₦27,000 to ₦50,000.

Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), several stakeholders said the government's decision came at the right time, considering the country's prevailing economic hardship and the financial pressures already facing many households.

An education analyst and school administrator, Benneth Edeh, described the suspension as a welcome intervention, noting that the proposed increase would have imposed an additional burden on parents struggling with the rising cost of living.

"Some of us in the education sector were alarmed by the proposed new fee. We felt that it was unnecessary, unwarranted and would have been a heavy burden on already burdened parents," Edeh said.

He argued that increasing the examination fee from around ₦28,000 to ₦50,000 was excessive, adding that the public backlash against the proposal was justified.

Edeh further appealed to the Federal Government not only to retain the current registration fee but to consider reducing it to between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000 to make secondary education more affordable.

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According to him, many parents already struggle to meet school-related expenses, especially in private schools where annual tuition and other charges can range between ₦200,000 and ₦300,000.

He noted that lowering examination fees would improve access to education and encourage more students to complete their secondary school education.

Also reacting, the Founder of Oasis of Knowledge Academy, Darlington Nweze, said the government should continue to support families by reducing the financial burden associated with public education instead of transferring the cost of national examinations entirely to parents.

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Nweze maintained that examination bodies are established primarily to conduct and administer examinations and should not expect parents to bear the full financial responsibility for the process.

Similarly, the proprietor of Ultimate Royal School, Enugu, JohnPaul Ochi, praised the Federal Government for responding to public concerns.

According to him, implementing the proposed fee increase would have prevented many students from low-income families from registering for WASSCE and NECO.

Ochi observed that the existing examination fees, which currently range between ₦29,000 and ₦35,000 depending on the examination body and other charges, are already beyond the reach of many Nigerian families.

The latest reactions add to the growing calls on the Federal Government to permanently shelve the proposed increase and prioritise policies that make education more affordable for students across the country.

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