By Ayobami Okerinde
The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has welcomed the Federal Government’s suspension of the proposed increase in examination registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, describing the decision as “a victory for the Nigerian people”.
Obi, in a post on his X handle on Monday, commended the government for responding to widespread public opposition to the proposed fee hike but argued that the policy should never have been introduced in the first place given the country’s economic hardship.
“I received the welcome news of the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees with relief. This is a victory for the Nigerian people,” he wrote.
“While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.”
He warned that imposing multiple charges on students at the basic education level could deny many children access to schooling, stressing that government has a responsibility to invest in education rather than create financial barriers.
“At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded, not restricted. Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue.
“Imposing multiple fees at the basic education level risks denying many children their right to education. At that stage, the State has a duty to invest in educating and preparing its citizens for productive lives, not to erect financial barriers that keep them out of school.”
Obi further said true leadership is demonstrated by the willingness to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on citizens, urging the government to reconsider other policies he described as anti-people.
He also applauded parents, citizens and advocacy groups whose opposition to the proposed fee increase contributed to the government’s decision to suspend the policy.
The federal government had earlier on Monday announced the suspension of the proposed fee review, saying it would embark on extensive consultations with stakeholders before taking a final decision.
It explained that although the review was necessitated by rising operational costs of conducting public examinations, the minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended to allow for broader consultations.
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