Peter Obi has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination.
The government had earlier approved an increase in the examination fees to ₦50,000 per candidate, up from the current ₦27,000 for WAEC and ₦30,000 for NECO. The proposal sparked widespread criticism from students, parents and opposition figures before it was eventually suspended.
Reacting to the development in a post on X, Obi described the reversal as “a victory for the Nigerian people.”
He commended the authorities for responding to public concerns but argued that the proposed increase should not have been introduced in the first place, given the economic hardship facing many Nigerian families.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the fee hike would have placed an unnecessary burden on parents at a time when the country should be investing in basic education and reducing the number of out-of-school children.
Obi stressed that access to education should be expanded rather than restricted, describing education as a fundamental right and a public good rather than a source of government revenue.
He also warned that imposing additional financial obligations on families at the basic education level could prevent many children from accessing education, adding that government has a responsibility to invest in the education of its citizens instead of creating financial barriers.
The NDC presidential candidate further said true leadership includes the willingness to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on citizens. He urged the government to review other policies that he described as anti-people.
Obi also thanked citizens, parents and advocacy groups whose public opposition to the proposed increase, he said, contributed to the government’s decision to suspend the policy.
