Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has asked President Bola Tinubu to reverse the increase in uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO) examinations from 2027.

In a statement issued today and signed by his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the policies as “cruel” and economically insensitive.

He said the decisions come at a time when many Nigerians are struggling with inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, electricity tariffs and unemployment.

The former vice president said the proposed increase in examination fees would aggravate Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.

His words: “Nigeria already bears the painful distinction of having one of the largest populations of out-of-school children in the world.

“Depending on the methodology and age group measured, between 10.5 million and about 15 million Nigerian children and young people are already outside the classroom.

“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 higher fees would disproportionately affect poor and middle-income families already struggling to meet basic needs.

“The consequences of these policies extend far beyond school gates. Every child priced out of education today becomes tomorrow’s victim of unemployment, poverty, child labour, criminal exploitation, drug abuse or insecurity.”

“Nations do not become prosperous by making education more expensive; they prosper by making education more accessible,” Atiku lamented.

Atiku also called for increased investment in public education, expansion of tertiary institutions’ carrying capacity and recruitment of more qualified teachers.

He added: “By the grace of Almighty God, I remain confident that Nigerians will reject policies that punish their children and make education the exclusive preserve of those who can afford it.

“The African Democratic Congress is committed to restoring education as a public good, not a privilege. An ADC-led government will not permit the implementation of this unjust and punitive increase in examination fees.”

“Instead, we shall reverse policies that place education beyond the reach of ordinary families, expand access to quality education at every level, increase the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensure that every Nigerian child, regardless of background, has a fair opportunity to learn, excel and fulfil his or her God-given potential.”