Parents and school owners in Enugu State have welcomed the WASSCE registration fees suspension announced by the Federal Government, describing it as a timely decision that will ease the financial pressure on many Nigerian families.
The Federal Ministry of Education suspended the proposed increase on Monday after widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders and the public. The plan would have raised the registration fee for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000.
Education analyst and school administrator Benneth Edeh praised the government’s decision, saying the proposed increase would have added to the financial burden already facing parents because of the rising cost of living. He argued that raising the WASSCE registration fees to ₦50,000 was excessive and supported the strong public reaction against the proposal.
Edeh also urged the government to go further by reducing examination fees to between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000. He said many families already struggle to pay school fees, especially in private schools where annual education costs can range from ₦200,000 to ₦300,000. According to him, lower WASSCE registration fees would improve access to education and encourage more students to complete secondary school.
The Founder of Oasis of Knowledge Academy, Darlington Nweze, said the government should continue to support families instead of placing the full cost of public examinations on parents. He added that examination bodies should not expect households to carry the entire financial responsibility.
The proprietor of Ultimate Royal School, JohnPaul Ochi, also commended the decision. He said the proposed increase could have prevented many children from low-income families from sitting the examinations, noting that the current fees of between ₦29,000 and ₦35,000 are already difficult for many parents to afford.
A parent, Amaka Okoro, described the suspension as a welcome relief, saying many families are struggling with the country’s economic challenges and would have found the higher WASSCE registration fees difficult to pay, especially those with more than one child preparing for the examinations.
Do you think examination fees should be reduced further to make secondary education more accessible in Nigeria?
