NEWS
Suspended WAEC, NECO Fee Hike Sparks Political Debate as Parents, Students Question FG’s Motive
…says Fee Hike Suspended Because Of Election
The Federal Government’s decision to suspend its proposed increase in the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (SSCE) registration fee from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000 has continued to generate nationwide reactions, with parents, students, education stakeholders and civil society groups questioning the motive behind the policy reversal.
While the government halted the proposed increase following widespread public criticism, many Nigerians believe the suspension was not driven by concern for citizens but by political calculations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Across several states, parents argued that the proposal would have placed an unbearable financial burden on families already struggling with rising living costs, warning that many students could have been forced to abandon their dreams of completing secondary education.
Some parents accused politicians of abandoning the principles of affordable education they once enjoyed, alleging that education has increasingly become a revenue-generating venture instead of a public service.
In Kaduna State, parents expressed fears that the proposed increase would have pushed the total cost of registering candidates for the SSCE to nearly ₦200,000 in some schools after additional charges are added.
A parent, Tanko Waje, who resides in Sabon Tasha, Chikun Local Government Area, lamented that many schools already collect fees above the official registration cost through various levies.
“Even with ₦21,000 registration fee some schools are collecting more than that hiding under different names and if the government increases the fee again it will render some of us incapable of registering our children.”
Students also voiced fears that the increase would deny many candidates the opportunity to sit for the examination.
Joshua Ikem, a student of Harmony Academy, Kaduna, explained that his family would struggle to register all three siblings if the proposal was implemented.
“I am from a humble background, and we are three in SS 2, and if the government implements the proposal, our parents may register only one among us. They are petty traders and on government payroll.”
However, not everyone opposed the proposal. A Kaduna-based school proprietor, Mike Ogbonna, said an increase would be acceptable if it remained affordable.
“If the government decides to increase the SSCE registration fee, I don’t have a problem with that, but let it be reasonable so that parents can afford to pay. Even with the current fee, many parents are not finding it easy to pay for their children.”
Education stakeholders in Zamfara State also strongly rejected the proposed increase, warning that it could worsen the country’s education crisis by discouraging school enrolment.
The principal of Government Science Secondary School, Bukuyum, Mallam Ahmed Mamuda, argued that the government should instead reduce examination fees to encourage more children to remain in school.
“An increase in SSCE fees by the Federal Government is likely to place a heavy financial burden on parents and discourage many students from registering for the examination.
“Instead of increasing the registration fees, the government should consider reducing them. Lower examination fees would encourage more parents to enroll their children in school and motivate out-of-school children to return to the classroom. This would promote equal access to education and support the goal of Education for All.
“Making education more affordable is essential for improving literacy, reducing poverty and building a brighter future for the nation.”
Another principal, Nasiru Nagwago of Government Science Secondary School, Gusau, described the proposal as a policy inconsistency.
“We are battling with out-of-school children on one side, and instead of the government building on that, they were contemplating increasing the fees.”
A parent in Zamfara College of Art and Science (ZACAS), Lawali Kabiru, also questioned the government’s sincerity.
“The government is insensitive. Most of them went to school under a free education policy, but today they are killing the future generations by ending education for the poor. This seeming suspension of the increase is not because they love the masses; it is because of 2027.”
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) also condemned the proposal, warning that raising examination fees could worsen Nigeria’s already alarming out-of-school children crisis.
The National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Comrade Obidah David, described the proposal as poorly timed.
“Our reaction at the National Association of Nigerian Students was one of shock and deep concern. The proposed increase came at a time when many Nigerian families are already struggling with the rising cost of living.”
He stressed that policies affecting millions of students should only be introduced after extensive consultations.
“We believe that any policy with such significant implications for students should be preceded by broad consultations with critical stakeholders. This is why NANS immediately issued a statement rejecting the proposed increase.”
David further argued that the proposed increase contradicted efforts to improve access to education.
“We do not consider the proposed increase fair. A jump from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000 represents a substantial financial burden on millions of Nigerian families.
“It also contradicts the efforts of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration to expand access to education and ease the financial pressure on students through various educational interventions.“
He warned that children from low-income families, particularly in Northern Nigeria where out-of-school figures remain high, would suffer the greatest impact.
Similar concerns were echoed by parents across Ogun, Kogi, Enugu and Akwa Ibom states, where many described the proposed increase as insensitive to prevailing economic realities.
Parents in Kogi warned that many households were already struggling to meet existing school obligations, while school proprietors feared that higher examination fees would reduce student enrolment.
Some teachers acknowledged that inflation and rising logistics costs had increased the expenses of conducting national examinations but insisted that government, examination bodies and stakeholders should work together to find a balanced solution that would not punish parents.
In Enugu State, stakeholders cautioned that any future attempt to implement the increase could lead to a significant decline in examination registrations.
Parents insisted they were already finding it difficult to pay the current fees, while teachers argued that quality secondary education should remain heavily subsidised rather than treated as a revenue source.
In Akwa Ibom State, where the state government subsidises SSCE fees for many public school students, parents of children in private schools welcomed the suspension with relief.
Many insisted that the proposal would have further compounded the hardship already being experienced by Nigerian families.
Civil society organisations and human rights advocates also faulted the proposed increase, describing it as ill-timed and capable of worsening educational inequality.
Several stakeholders maintained that while the Federal Government has suspended the proposed fee hike for now, authorities should permanently abandon the plan and instead prioritise policies that expand access to education, reduce the number of out-of-school children and ease the financial burden on Nigerian families.