BREAKING: NANS rejects increase in WAEC, NECO examination fees, demands 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 the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the decision as insensitive and demanding its immediate reversal.

In a statement signed on Saturday by its President, Comrade Akinteye Babatunde, NANS condemned both the ministry’s approval and the proposal by the examination bodies to increase the fees, saying the move would worsen the financial burden on students and their families.

The association alleged that the registration fees for both examinations had been increased to N50,000 each, bringing the total cost to N100,000 before schools add other charges.

NANS argued that the increase comes at a time when many Nigerians are grappling with the effects of economic reforms, warning that the decision could deny children from low-income families access to education.

“This is cruelty in its purest form. At this critical juncture, when our nation is undergoing economic reforms that have significantly overstretched the average Nigerian, it is only inhumane to increase fees for national examinations at a time when the government should be putting measures in place to cushion the effects of the economic reforms.”

The students’ body also faulted the Federal Ministry of Education for approving the fee review without consulting NANS, insisting that decisions affecting millions of students should not be taken without engaging their representatives.

It called on the ministry to immediately reverse the increase and ensure that the leadership of Nigerian students is consulted on future policies affecting students.

NANS pledged to continue advocating for the welfare of Nigerian students and protecting their interests against policies it considers detrimental to access to education.