The Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Mr. Peter Obi has welcomed the suspension of the increase in registration fees for the West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and the National Examinations Council, NECO.
The Federal Ministry of Education said in a statement on Monday that it has suspended the review of the fees, which it had increased from N27,500 to N50,000 from 2027.
The ministry said the decision to suspend the review would afford it time for wider consulations.
Reacting to news of the suspension of the fees’ hike on his X account, Obi described it as
a victory for the Nigerian people.
He said the increase of the registrations fees should not have been done at a time when Nigerians were going through hard times
“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.
“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 said.
He acknowledged the federal government’s decision to reverse the increase, insisting that similar decisions that make life difficult for citizens should be reversed.
“True leadership is demonstrated not only by making decisions but also by having the humility to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on the people.
“Many other anti-people policies deserve similar reconsideration,” Obi stated.
He commended the citizens, parents, and advocacy groups whose voices made this reversal possible.
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