Aisha Yesufu: Nigerian Students Should Not Be Made To Pay For WAEC And NECO Fees

According to Ireporter Online, the Federal Government had earlier approved a new registration fee of ₦50,000 for candidates participating in the WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations, with the policy scheduled to take effect from 2027.

The approval was contained in a memorandum dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the ministry.

However, following widespread public criticism and concerns over the proposed increase, the Federal Government announced the suspension of the planned fee adjustment.

In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Boriowo Folasade, the suspension was made after receiving feedback and reactions from members of the public.

Reacting to the development in a post shared on X, Yesufu argued that education remains a responsibility that benefits society as a whole and should not be treated as a burden placed on students and families.

She maintained that no Nigerian student should be required to pay for WAEC and NECO examinations, stressing that an educated population contributes significantly to national development.

“No student in Nigeria should be paying for WAEC and NECO. Good quality education should be a right Nigerian children enjoy,” Yesufu stated.

She added that primary and secondary education serves the wider interests of the state, warning that the consequences of having an uneducated population could be costly for the country.