The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, pending further consultations with stakeholders.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the decision in a statement on Monday, revealing that it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 letter proposing the fee adjustment to allow for a broader review.
According to the statement, signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the move followed concerns and feedback from the public.
“The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.
The ministry explained that the proposed increase was driven by rising costs of conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged despite increasing expenses.
It cited higher costs for logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services required to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
The statement added that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” it stated.
The ministry said it would engage examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other key partners before reaching a final decision.
