NANS Rejects Hike in WAEC, NECO Examination Fees, Demands Immediate Reversal

NANS Rejects Hike in WAEC, NECO Examination Fees, Demands Immediate Reversal

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected the Federal Ministry of Education’s approval of an upward review of registration fees for examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the decision as insensitive and anti-student.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Comrade Samson Adeyemi, the students’ body called for the immediate reversal of the fee increase, warning that the policy would deny thousands of financially disadvantaged students access to secondary school certificate examinations.

NANS said the increase comes at a time when many Nigerian families are struggling with rising inflation, high transportation costs, food insecurity and other economic challenges.

According to the association, increasing examination registration fees without adequate consultation with key stakeholders places an unbearable financial burden on parents and students, particularly those in low-income and rural communities.

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The students’ body argued that access to education is a fundamental right and should not be made more difficult through policies that further widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

“Nigerian students should not be made to bear the consequences of the country’s economic difficulties through higher examination fees. Education remains one of the most effective tools for national development and social mobility, and government policies should encourage, not discourage, access to it,” the statement said.

NANS urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in education by providing greater financial support to examination bodies rather than transferring operational costs to candidates and their families.

The association also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education to intervene by reversing the approval of the new fees in the interest of millions of Nigerian students.

While reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of students nationwide, NANS warned that it would not hesitate to mobilise democratic and lawful actions should the government fail to rescind the decision.

The association called on civil society organisations, parents, education stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to join its demand for affordable access to education, insisting that no student should be denied the opportunity to sit for WAEC or NECO examinations because of financial hardship.

The Federal Ministry of Education is yet to issue a detailed response to NANS’ objection as of the time of filing this report.

NANS Rejects Hike in WAEC, NECO Examination Fees, Demands Immediate Reversal