Reverse WAEC, NECO Fees Hike or Risk Surge in Out-of-School Children — Atiku to Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu to reverse the reported increase in WAEC and NECO examination fees as well as the hike in Federal Unity Colleges’ fees, warning that the policies could worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.

Atiku, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, described the fee increases as economically insensitive and inconsistent with the government’s constitutional responsibility to make education accessible to all Nigerians.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president said the policy would place an additional burden on families already struggling with rising inflation, high food prices, transport costs, electricity tariffs and unemployment.

According to him, education remains the most effective tool for reducing poverty and promoting social mobility, stressing that every increase in education costs pushes more children out of school.

“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.

Atiku argued that increasing fees for Unity Colleges and introducing a uniform N50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2027 would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income families.

He also questioned the government’s emphasis on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, NELFUND, saying student loans cannot benefit children who are unable to complete secondary education because of rising costs.

The former vice president called on the Federal Government to immediately reverse the fee increases and convene a stakeholders’ dialogue on sustainable financing for public education.

He maintained that an ADC-led administration would prioritise affordable education, expand access to schools and ensure that financial hardship does not deny Nigerian children the opportunity to learn.