₦airaland Forum

Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has described the recent increase in fees for Federal Unity Colleges and the approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2027 as cruel and economically insensitive.

Daily Trust reports that the Federal Government recently approved an upward review of the fee for Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).

The initial registration fee was N27,500.

In a statement on June 18, Adeniji Ibrahim, Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Ministry of Education, said the decision stemmed from a meeting between examination bodies and the Minister of Education, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.

He said the minister directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of their SSCE examinations.

But reacting in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said it is unconscionable that at a time when Nigerian families are battling record inflation, soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, crippling electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes and widespread unemployment, the Tinubu administration chose to make education even more expensive.

He said the upward review was fundamentally incompatible with government’s constitutional responsibility to make education accessible to every Nigerian child.

He noted that education remains the greatest instrument of social mobility and the surest pathway out of poverty for millions of children from humble backgrounds.

According to him, every additional financial burden imposed on parents translates into another child being denied the opportunity to learn, dream and contribute meaningfully to society.

“A government that genuinely believes in the future of its people does not erect financial barriers between children and education. It removes them. Education is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy; it is the birthright of every Nigerian child and the foundation upon which prosperous nations are built.”

“Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Depending on the methodology and age group measured, between 10.5 million and about 15 million Nigerian children and young people are already outside the classroom. Any government confronted with such a national emergency should be investing aggressively to bring these children back into school. Instead, this administration is choosing policies that will inevitably swell those numbers.”

He warned that increasing fees in Federal Unity Colleges while imposing a significantly higher cost on WAEC and NECO examinations would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income families whose parents are already making impossible choices between food, healthcare, transportation and education.

“The consequences of these policies extend far beyond school gates. Every child priced out of education today becomes tomorrow’s victim of unemployment, poverty, child labour, criminal exploitation, drug abuse or insecurity. Nations do not become prosperous by making education more expensive; they prosper by making education more accessible.”

The former Vice President said the recent increase in WAEC and NECO examination fees represents far more than another financial burden on parents.

“It is a systemic filter that will inevitably restrict access to tertiary education for thousands of indigent but academically qualified Nigerian students. For many children from low-income families, the journey to university does not end at the admission gate—it is terminated long before then by the inability to afford the qualifying examinations that determine their future.”

He said the contradiction becomes even more glaring when viewed against the reality of Nigeria’s tertiary education system.

Atiku said the irony in the administration’s education policy is impossible to ignore.

He added that, in the view of many Nigerians, NELFUND has yet to address the structural barriers confronting access to education.

Atiku argued that education should never become another avenue through which citizens are made to bear the cost of government policy failures.

“No nation has ever taxed its way into educational excellence. Countries that aspire to economic greatness invest more—not less—in education during difficult times because they understand that human capital is the engine of sustainable development. Nigeria cannot build a globally competitive economy while systematically pricing millions of its children out of classrooms.” punishment.”

Atiku therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately reverse the increase in Unity School fees and the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee and convene an urgent stakeholders’ dialogue on sustainable financing for public education.

He urged the Federal Government to invest more in public schools, strengthen educational infrastructure, recruit more qualified teachers, expand the carrying capacity of tertiary institutions and ensure that no Nigerian child is denied education because of poverty.

helinues:
Atiku, don't be primitive with your politics like others.

Anything related to basic education fee, lots are considered before fixing the price

Sheuns:
Very soon his supporters and aides will come tell us that education is not for the poor.

1vandragon:
They will introduce loans and now start praising themselves for introducing loans so that people can write WAEC...

LibertyRep:
This hike in WAEC and NECO fees is highly insensitive and stands condemnable.

yesloaded:
It's not funny at all

50k means nothing to some people but that's all some people need to start a business

Nigeria is not ripe for all the policies of these administration because we don't earn as much as advance world's where their daily wages can pay a full month salary in Nigeria

helinues:
Atiku, don't be primitive with your politics like others.

Anything related to basic education fee, lots are considered before fixing the price

Parachoko:
Except from Private schools, how many students in Government school pay WAEC fee?

Jeezuzpick:
Lots........ mmmmmmmm?

Like.......

HOW THE FUHCK ARE THE AKARA AND KULIKULI SELLERS GONNA AFFORD N50k FEES FOR EXAMS THEIR KIDS NIGHT NOT EVEN PASS, DUE TO SHITTY SCHOOLS AND POOR, DEMORALISED TEACHERS?

helinues:
Atiku, don't be primitive with your politics like others.

Anything related to basic education fee, lots are considered before fixing the price

helinues:
Atiku, don't be primitive with your politics like others.

Anything related to basic education fee, lots are considered before fixing the price

iwaeda:
https://dailytrust.com/atiku-waec-neco-fee-hike-may-send-many-out-of-school/

helinues:
Atiku, don't be primitive with your politics like others.

Anything related to basic education fee, lots are considered before fixing the price

Image123:
This one think say akara and kulikuli seller pikin no dey go school

Image123:
Pay for them Atiku, you get money.
Since Tinubu was governor, Lagos State Government pays the WAEC (WASSCE) registration fees for eligible SS3 students in public secondary schools. Each year, the state sets aside funds to cover the examination fees for students who qualify under its sponsorship scheme.
All state government can do this. This is part of what the first lady was talking about when she said those musicians and content creators should have charity foundations like Akon. Not just doing silly giveaways. You see folks like Obi say he's giving 50million to a school, yet students dey the school that can't afford school fees for the year. Do more sensible giving.