Atiku faults planned WAEC, NECO fee increase, warns of rising out-of-school crisis

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the Federal Government over the planned increase in the cost of public education, urging President Bola Tinubu to reverse the reported approval of a uniform ₦50,000 registration fee for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) from 2027.

Atiku also condemned the recent hike in fees for Federal Unity Colleges, describing both decisions as insensitive at a time many Nigerian families are grappling with severe economic hardship.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) argued that the policies undermine the constitutional obligation of government to make education accessible to all Nigerians.

He said increasing the cost of education amid soaring inflation, high transportation costs, rising electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes and widespread unemployment would further shut children from poor and middle-income families out of the classroom.

According to Atiku, education remains the most effective means of breaking the cycle of poverty and creating opportunities for young Nigerians.

“Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world. Depending on the methodology and age group measured, between 10.5 million and about 15 million Nigerian children and young people are already outside the classroom. 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.

The former vice president warned that the combined effect of increased Unity School fees and the proposed examination charges would place additional financial pressure on parents already struggling to provide for their families.

He also questioned the government’s emphasis on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), arguing that tertiary education loans cannot solve the challenges faced by children who are unable to complete secondary education because of rising costs.

“The same administration whose policies are progressively narrowing access to public tertiary education continues to project the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as one of its flagship achievements. Yet 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 for admission. A government cannot credibly claim to be expanding access to higher education while simultaneously erecting financial barriers that prevent millions of young Nigerians from ever reaching the university gates.

“Genuine educational reform begins by making education affordable from the primary and secondary levels, expanding the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensuring that poverty never becomes the reason a child is denied the opportunity to learn. A government that truly believes in education invests in classrooms before it invests in loans.**

“No nation has ever taxed its way into educational excellence. Countries that aspire to economic greatness invest more—not less—in education during difficult times because they understand that human capital is the engine of sustainable development. Nigeria cannot build a globally competitive economy while systematically pricing millions of its children out of classrooms,” he added.

Atiku called on President Tinubu to immediately withdraw the proposed fee increases and initiate consultations with relevant stakeholders to develop a sustainable funding framework for public education.

He maintained that education should remain a right rather than a privilege reserved for those who can afford it.

“By the grace of Almighty God, I remain confident that Nigerians will reject policies that punish their children and make education the exclusive preserve of those who can afford it. The African Democratic Congress is committed to restoring education as a public good, not a privilege.

“An ADC-led government will not permit this unjust and punitive increase in examination fees. Instead, we shall reverse policies that place education beyond the reach of ordinary families, expand access to quality education at every level, increase the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of background, has a fair opportunity to learn, excel and fulfil his or her God-given potential,” he added.