Residents of Enugu State have applauded the Federal Government's decision to suspend the proposed increase in registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the move as a major relief for struggling families.
The suspension, announced on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, followed widespread opposition from parents, education stakeholders and members of the public over plans to raise the examination fee from about ₦27,000 to ₦50,000.
Speaking on the development, education analyst and school administrator, Mr Benneth Edeh, said the government's decision was timely, noting that the proposed increase would have placed an additional financial burden on parents already grappling with the country's high cost of living.
According to him, many education stakeholders were surprised by the proposed adjustment, arguing that increasing the fee to ₦50,000 was excessive and unfair to families struggling to meet other educational expenses.
Edeh further urged the Federal Government to go beyond maintaining the current rate by considering a reduction in examination fees to between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000. He explained that many parents, particularly those with children in private schools, already spend between ₦200,000 and ₦300,000 annually on education, making any additional cost difficult to bear.
He added that more affordable examination fees would improve access to education and reduce the number of students who are unable to complete their secondary school education because of financial constraints.
The founder of Oasis of Knowledge Academy, Mr Darlington Nweze, also commended the suspension, stressing that government has a responsibility to support parents by making public education more affordable rather than transferring the full cost of national examinations to families.
Similarly, the proprietor of Ultimate Royal School, Enugu, Mr JohnPaul Ochi, praised the Federal Government for responding to public concerns. He noted that the proposed increase would have prevented many students from low-income homes from registering for the examinations.
Ochi observed that even the existing examination fees, which range between ₦29,000 and ₦35,000, are already difficult for many parents to pay. He described the suspended increase as one that could have further widened the gap in access to education.
A parent, Mrs Amaka Okoro, also welcomed the government's decision, saying it came at a time when many households are battling rising living costs.
She explained that parents with two or three children preparing for WASSCE or NECO would have faced enormous financial pressure if the proposed increase had taken effect, especially with stagnant incomes.
Okoro commended the Federal Government for listening to the concerns of Nigerians and reversing the planned fee hike, describing the decision as one that will help many families keep their children in school.
