The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected the Federal Ministry of Education’s approval of an upward review in the registration fees for 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 Friday, NANS President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, said the increase would further worsen the financial burden on Nigerian students and their parents amid the country’s prevailing economic hardship.
The students’ body alleged that the registration fees for both examinations had been raised to ₦50,000 each, bringing the total cost to ₦100,000 for candidates intending to sit both examinations, excluding additional charges imposed by schools.
NANS described the decision as “cruel” and urged the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately reverse the policy in the interest of millions of Nigerian students.
The association argued that the fee hike was approved without adequate consultation with stakeholders, particularly the leadership of Nigerian students, despite the far-reaching implications of the decision.
According to the statement, policies affecting students should not be taken unilaterally, insisting that the apex students’ body ought to be consulted before decisions of such magnitude are implemented.
The association further urged the Ministry of Education and the management of WAEC and NECO to prioritise policies that make education affordable and accessible rather than introducing measures that could deny children from low-income families access to quality education.
NANS maintained that it would continue to advocate for the welfare and interests of Nigerian students, warning that it would resist policies capable of undermining access to education across the country.
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