Parents Welcome WAEC, NECO Fee Suspension

Federal Government suspends proposed examination fee increase, bringing relief to parents and schools facing rising education costs across Nigeria today.

Parents and school administrators praise the decision to suspend higher examination fees, describing it as timely financial relief.

Parents, school owners and education stakeholders in Enugu State have welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed WASSCE and NECO fees increase, describing the move as a major relief for families facing economic hardship.

The WASSCE and NECO fees proposal would have raised registration costs from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000 before the Federal Ministry of Education announced its suspension following widespread public criticism. Many stakeholders said the decision would ease financial pressure on households already struggling with the rising cost of living.

Education analyst and school administrator Benneth Edeh described the suspension as a positive step. He said the proposed increase would have placed an unnecessary burden on parents and argued that raising the fee to ₦50,000 was excessive. He also urged the government to retain the current rate or even reduce WASSCE and NECO fees to between ₦10,000 and ₦15,000 to make education more affordable.

According to Edeh, many parents already face high education expenses, especially in private schools, where annual school fees can range from ₦200,000 to ₦300,000. He said lower examination fees would help more students complete their secondary education.

The Founder of Oasis of Knowledge Academy, Darlington Nweze, said the government should continue supporting families instead of placing the full cost of public examinations on parents. He noted that examination bodies are responsible for conducting the tests and should not expect parents to bear the entire financial responsibility.

The proprietor of Ultimate Royal School, JohnPaul Ochi, also praised the government for responding to public concerns. He warned that higher WASSCE and NECO fees could have prevented many children from low-income families from sitting the examinations.

Parent Amaka Okoro described the suspension as timely, saying many families already struggle to meet basic educational expenses, 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?