The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has opposed the reported approval of higher registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the move as unfair and insensitive to the economic challenges facing Nigerians.
In a statement released on Saturday and signed by its President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the association criticised both the Federal Ministry of Education and the examination bodies over the proposed increase.
According to NANS, the reported review would raise the registration fee for each examination to ₦50,000, meaning candidates intending to sit for both WAEC and NECO would spend ₦100,000, excluding additional charges imposed by schools.
The association warned that the increase would place a heavier financial burden on parents and students already struggling with the country’s rising cost of living.
“If the Federal Ministry of Education and the leadership of WAEC and NECO cannot make the examinations more affordable and accessible, they should refrain from introducing policies that would further burden students and parents,” the statement read.
NANS also criticised the process that led to the reported approval, alleging that key stakeholders, including the students’ body, were not consulted before the decision was made.
“A decision of this magnitude, affecting millions of students across the country, cannot be made unilaterally by the Ministry of Education. Anything for us, without us, is against us,” the association stated.
The students’ body urged the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately reverse the reported increase and called for meaningful engagement with student representatives before implementing policies that directly affect Nigerian students.
NANS reaffirmed its commitment to defending the interests and welfare of students nationwide and vowed to continue advocating for affordable access to education.
