The Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS) has expressed concern over the Federal Government’s approval of a new examination fee regime that will require candidates to pay ₦50,000 each for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations from 2027.
The union described the proposed increase as a major financial burden on Nigerian families, warning that it could undermine access to education for students from low-income backgrounds.
In a statement signed by the Ogun State Chairman of ASUSS and National Public Relations Officer of the union, Comrade Dr. Felix Oluwaseun Agbesanwa, the teachers’ body acknowledged the need to sustain the operations of examination bodies but argued that the timing and scale of the increase were inappropriate given the prevailing economic realities.
According to the statement, the proposed increase of more than 80 per cent comes at a time when many Nigerian households are struggling with rising inflation, increasing transportation costs, high food prices and declining purchasing power.
The union noted that for families with more than one child in secondary school, the cost of registering candidates for the examinations, in addition to school fees, textbooks, uniforms and transportation, could become unbearable.
ASUSS warned that the policy could lead to an increase in the number of school dropouts and candidates unable to register for the examinations, particularly among students from indigent families.
It stressed that education remains one of the most effective means of breaking the cycle of poverty, adding that policies that create additional financial barriers for students should be carefully reviewed.
While recognising the financial challenges confronting examination bodies, the union urged the Federal Government to introduce measures to cushion the impact of the fee increase on vulnerable families.
It recommended subsidies for indigent students, expanded scholarship opportunities and greater collaboration with state governments and other stakeholders to make the examinations more affordable.
ASUSS also called for greater transparency regarding the reasons behind the proposed fee review, saying Nigerians deserve to know the factors necessitating the increase and the measures being put in place to improve service delivery and efficiency.
The union further urged the Federal Government to engage teachers’ unions, parents’ associations, school proprietors and civil society organisations in reviewing the policy and exploring sustainable alternatives that would not deny deserving students the opportunity to complete their secondary education.
Reiterating that education should remain a right rather than a privilege reserved for the wealthy, ASUSS maintained that policies affecting access to education must prioritise the welfare and aspirations of Nigerian children.
