Atiku, Obi hail WAEC, NECO fee hike suspension

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have welcomed the Federal Government’s suspension of the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination.

They, however, criticised the government for proposing the increases without sufficient consultation.

The Federal Government had announced plans to raise the WAEC registration fee from N27,000 to N50,000 and the NECO fee from N30,000 to N50,000.

The proposal attracted criticism from parents, education stakeholders and political leaders.

The Federal Ministry of Education subsequently suspended the proposed adjustment pending a comprehensive review.

In a statement issued by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, the ministry said it had taken note of the concerns and feedback expressed by Nigerians.

It explained that the proposal was prompted by rising costs associated with organising credible national examinations.

According to the ministry, expenses relating to logistics, security, printing, technology deployment and quality assurance have increased, while examination fees have remained largely unchanged for several years.

Education Minister Maruf Tunji Alausa directed that the proposed increase be suspended in line with the government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.

The ministry said it would consult examination bodies, state ministries of education, school administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other stakeholders before reaching a final decision.

It stressed that the proposed increase would not take effect until the consultations were concluded.

Reacting to the suspension, Atiku described the decision as a victory for parents, students, civil society organisations and other Nigerians who opposed the proposal.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said raising examination fees beyond the reach of many families would deepen educational inequality.

He argued that the proposed increase could worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis and prevent indigent students from pursuing higher education.

“The suspension is welcome, but it also raises an uncomfortable question: why must this government always wait for public outrage before correcting policies that should never have been conceived in the first place?” Atiku asked.

“Governing is not a laboratory for reckless experimentation. Sound governments consult before they decide, not after Nigerians have been subjected to needless anxiety and uncertainty.”

Atiku alleged that announcing difficult policies without adequate consultation and reversing them after public opposition had become a pattern under the administration.

Obi also welcomed the suspension, describing it as a victory for Nigerians.

In a statement posted on his official X account, he said the proposed fees would have imposed an unnecessary burden on families already facing economic hardship.

“I received the welcome news of the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees with relief. This is a victory for the Nigerian people,” Obi wrote.

He said the government should prioritise increased investment in basic education and efforts to reduce the number of out-of-school children.

“Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue,” he said.