The Federal Government has suspended its planned increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination following widespread public outrage and concerns from education stakeholders across the country.
The decision, announced by the Federal Ministry of Education, comes just days after the proposed fee review sparked intense debate among parents, students, school owners, labour groups and education advocates, many of whom warned that the increase would place an unbearable financial burden on millions of Nigerian families already struggling with the rising cost of living.
According to the ministry, the earlier proposal has now been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before any final decision is made. The government explained that although the proposed adjustment was driven by increasing operational costs involved in conducting credible national examinations, including security, logistics, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance, it recognizes the need to balance these realities with the financial challenges facing Nigerians...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence based policymaking. The ministry emphasized that policies affecting millions of students and their families must undergo extensive consultation before implementation.
As part of the review process, the Federal Ministry of Education will engage examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other critical stakeholders to ensure that any future decision on examination fees is fair, sustainable and sensitive to prevailing economic realities.
The ministry also assured Nigerians that the proposed fee increase will not take effect until consultations have been concluded and a final decision has been reached. It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting access to quality education while ensuring that examination bodies have the resources needed to maintain the integrity and credibility of public examinations.
The suspension has been welcomed by many parents and education stakeholders, who view it as a victory for public engagement and a sign that citizens’ voices can influence government decisions on issues that directly affect millions of Nigerian students.
