A former Commissioner for Education in Ebonyi , Mr . Ndubuisi Chibueze-Agbo , has condemned the steady rise of West African Senior School Certificate Examination and National Examination Council fees.
Chibueze - Agbo said on Wednesday in Abakaliki that the development posed danger to the education sector .
The former commissioner said that the sudden increase in NECO and WASSCE fees from N5 , 500 and N 5 , 350 respectively in 2015 , to N 11 , 950 and N 11 , 350 was outrageous .
He argued that the situation could deny children from less privileged homes from writing these very important certificate examinations .
The former commissioner noted that NECO was established in the year 2000 to break the monopoly of WAEC.
He said , “Before year 2000 , WAEC was the only examination body authorised by law to conduct Senior School Certificate Examination for both external and internal candidates .
“ NECO came into being in 2000 to provide alternative to Nigerians and also to break the monopoly of WAEC and exorbitant fees charged by the examination body .
“ But it’ s regrettable and sad that the NECO has been in the forefront of championing examination fee hike in Nigeria from 2001 to date . ”
He noted that in year 2000 , registration fees for both WASSCE and NECO was N 1 , 000 while candidates who sat for the same examinations in 2001 paid N 1 , 450 for WASSCE and N 1 , 500 for NECO .
According to him , fees for both examinations went up in 2002 to N 1 , 800 for NECO , and WASSCE N 1650 .
The former commissioner said there was another increment in 2003 that put NECO fee at N2 , 300 , while WASSCE was registered with N2,250 .
He said that increment in examination fees in Nigeria had been on steady rise and maintained that the current fees were the highest in the whole of Africa .
“ From available statistics , 80 per cent of prospective WASSCE and NECO candidates in Ebonyi are yet to pay for the examinations because of the high cost of the fees.
“ The situation poses serious threat to national security and call for urgent action to remedy it, “ the ex -commissioner added .
He further called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that the fees were brought down to affordable level .
“ I appeal to Mr President to see the hike as a dangerous development in education sector and to cause same to be immediately reversed in the interest of the nation’ s education system , ’’ he said .
The Ebonyi Government had in a similar move urged WAEC and NECO to extend their deadlines for registration .
Ebony Government advice was in view of the few number of students that had registered for the examinations due to the fee hike
Chibueze - Agbo said on Wednesday in Abakaliki that the development posed danger to the education sector .
The former commissioner said that the sudden increase in NECO and WASSCE fees from N5 , 500 and N 5 , 350 respectively in 2015 , to N 11 , 950 and N 11 , 350 was outrageous .
He argued that the situation could deny children from less privileged homes from writing these very important certificate examinations .
The former commissioner noted that NECO was established in the year 2000 to break the monopoly of WAEC.
He said , “Before year 2000 , WAEC was the only examination body authorised by law to conduct Senior School Certificate Examination for both external and internal candidates .
“ NECO came into being in 2000 to provide alternative to Nigerians and also to break the monopoly of WAEC and exorbitant fees charged by the examination body .
“ But it’ s regrettable and sad that the NECO has been in the forefront of championing examination fee hike in Nigeria from 2001 to date . ”
He noted that in year 2000 , registration fees for both WASSCE and NECO was N 1 , 000 while candidates who sat for the same examinations in 2001 paid N 1 , 450 for WASSCE and N 1 , 500 for NECO .
According to him , fees for both examinations went up in 2002 to N 1 , 800 for NECO , and WASSCE N 1650 .
The former commissioner said there was another increment in 2003 that put NECO fee at N2 , 300 , while WASSCE was registered with N2,250 .
He said that increment in examination fees in Nigeria had been on steady rise and maintained that the current fees were the highest in the whole of Africa .
“ From available statistics , 80 per cent of prospective WASSCE and NECO candidates in Ebonyi are yet to pay for the examinations because of the high cost of the fees.
“ The situation poses serious threat to national security and call for urgent action to remedy it, “ the ex -commissioner added .
He further called on the President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene and ensure that the fees were brought down to affordable level .
“ I appeal to Mr President to see the hike as a dangerous development in education sector and to cause same to be immediately reversed in the interest of the nation’ s education system , ’’ he said .
The Ebonyi Government had in a similar move urged WAEC and NECO to extend their deadlines for registration .
Ebony Government advice was in view of the few number of students that had registered for the examinations due to the fee hike
