Atiku Rejects Proposed ₦50,000 WAEC, NECO Fee, Warns Millions May Be Shut Out of School

• Atiku urges Federal Government to reverse proposed examination fee.

• Says higher education costs will worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.

• Calls for greater investment in affordable public education.

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the proposed introduction of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations from 2027, warning that the policy could deny millions of Nigerian children access to education.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku also faulted the recent increase in fees charged by Federal Unity Colleges, describing both measures as economically insensitive.

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“It is unconscionable that at a time when Nigerian families are battling record inflation, soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, crippling electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes and widespread unemployment, the Tinubu administration has chosen to make education even more expensive,” Atiku said.

He argued that education remains the most effective tool for breaking the cycle of poverty and warned against policies that create financial barriers for children.

“A government that genuinely believes in the future of its people does not erect financial barriers between children and education. It removes them. Education is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy; it is the birthright of every Nigerian child and the foundation upon which prosperous nations are built,” he added.

The former vice president expressed concern that the proposed examination fee and higher Unity School charges come at a time when Nigeria already has one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world.

“Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Any government confronted with such a national emergency should be investing aggressively to bring these children back into school. Instead, this administration is choosing policies that will inevitably swell those numbers,” he said.

According to Atiku, the proposed ₦50,000 examination fee would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income families, making access to tertiary education even more difficult.

He also argued that student loans cannot address the challenge if many students are unable to complete secondary education or afford qualifying examinations.

“A university loan offers little comfort to a child who has already been priced out of secondary education or cannot afford the qualifying examination required to secure admission,” he stated.

Atiku called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the increase in Unity School fees, shelve the proposed WAEC and NECO examination fee, and convene stakeholders to develop sustainable funding solutions for public education.