Some secondary school students in Nigeria
We appreciate the government’s responsiveness, but our collective demand remains clear: the proposed examination fee increment should be cancelled completely and not postponed for implementation in the future.
The National Parent-Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) has described as commendable, Federal Government’s immediate suspension of proposed increase in Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) registration fee.
But the body said the proposal should be discarded completely and not postponed for implementation in the future.
The Chairman, Board of Trustees of NAPTAN, Mr Adeolu Ogunbanjo, made the commendation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examination Council (NECO) conduct SSCE.
The Federal Government had proposed to increase the registration fee to N50 000 from N27,000 (WAEC-organised) and N30,000 (NECO). The government has, however, suspended the proposal.
Ogunbanjo said that the suspension demonstrated that the Federal Government listened to concerns of parents and other education stakeholders regarding the proposed increase.
The NAPTAN chairman added that the immediate suspension demonstrated that authorities could respond positively to genuine concerns of the citizens.
He urged the government to totally discard the proposal.
“We appreciate the government’s responsiveness, but our collective demand remains clear: the proposed examination fee increment should be cancelled completely and not postponed for implementation in the future.
“Our cry was never merely against timing; it was against the burden itself, whether introduced in 2027, 2030, or any other future period, we don’t want such an increment.
“We respectfully request the government to abandon the idea entirely and, instead, pursue policies that promote affordable, accessible and free quality education for every Nigerian child,” the NAPTAN chairman said.
Ogunbanjo had earlier opposed the proposed increase in the fee.
He described the proposed increase as excessive and capable of denying many students access to education.
Ogunbanjo said although examination bodies might face rising operational costs, nearly doubling the fees could not be justified amid worsening economic hardship.
NAN
