Abuja: The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly opposed the Federal Ministry of Education’s approval of a proposed upward review of registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the move as insensitive and a direct assault on the right of Nigerian students to affordable education.
The students’ body demanded the immediate reversal of the decision, warning that the proposed increase would place an unbearable financial burden on millions of families already struggling with the country’s economic challenges.
NANS’ reaction followed the emergence of a letter dated June 18, 2026, purportedly issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, approving a uniform examination fee of N50,000 per candidate for WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), effective from the 2027 NECO internal examinations.
In a statement signed by its President, Dist. Comr. Akinteye Babtee Babatunde, the association condemned both the ministry’s approval and the initial proposal by the examination bodies to increase the fees.
“This is cruelty in its purest form,” the statement said.
According to NANS, increasing examination fees at a time when Nigerians are grappling with the effects of economic reforms demonstrates a lack of empathy and risks denying children from low-income families access to secondary education.
The association lamented that if both examination fees are fixed at N50,000 each, candidates who sit for both WAEC and NECO would pay N100,000 in registration fees alone, excluding additional charges imposed by schools.
“Are we now saying that children of the poor should no longer have access to education? This level of hardship is unbearable,” the statement read.
NANS argued that rather than introducing additional financial burdens, the government should be implementing policies that ease the economic pressures on students and their parents.
The association also faulted the decision-making process, alleging that the approval was granted without adequate consultation with key stakeholders, particularly the leadership of Nigerian students.
According to the students’ body, a policy with far-reaching implications for millions of candidates should not be implemented without engaging those directly affected.
“Anything for us, without us, is against us,” NANS declared.
The association called on the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately withdraw the proposed fee increase and urged the ministry to involve the apex students’ body in future policy decisions affecting Nigerian students.
It pledged to continue advocating for policies that protect students’ interests and ensure that education remains accessible and affordable for all Nigerians.
The Federal Ministry of Education has yet to issue an official response to the objections raised by NANS. The authenticity and implementation status of the circulated ministry letter also remain to be independently confirmed.
