Aisha Yesufu Advocates for Free WAEC and NECO Exams Amid Fee Hike Suspension
Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu has called for the abolition of fees for WAEC and NECO exams, following the federal government's suspension of planned increases.
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Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu has declared that no student in Nigeria should be required to pay for the West African Examination Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) exams. Her statement comes amid growing public debate over examination fees and access to education.
Yesufu’s position was reported by Naija News, which cited her assertion that examination fees place an undue burden on students and families. “No students in Nigeria should be paying for WAEC and NECO,” she stated, emphasizing the need for equitable access to certification processes.
The federal government recently suspended planned increases in WAEC and NECO registration fees, a move welcomed by political figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and presidential candidate Peter Obi. Vanguard News reported that both expressed approval of the suspension, though neither commented on the broader proposal for fully free exams.
The suspension of the fee hike has not been accompanied by an official statement on whether future exams will be fully subsidized. WAEC and NECO fees have long been a point of contention in Nigeria’s education discourse, with advocates arguing that costs disproportionately affect low-income families.
Yesufu’s call adds momentum to ongoing calls for systemic reform in how national examinations are funded. She framed access to exams as a matter of educational equity, stating that fees should not be a barrier to certification.