Atiku Urges Tinubu to Reverse ₦50,000 Exam Fee Hike

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President and a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has formally requested President Bola Tinubu to reverse the recently increased examination fee of ₦50,000 for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examination Council (NECO). In a statement issued today and signed by his media aide Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the fee increase as a cruel and economically insensitive decision, particularly at a time when Nigerians are grappling with rising inflation, food prices, transportation costs, and unemployment.

He pointed out that Nigeria already has between 10.5 million to 15 million children out of school, and such a fee hike would exacerbate the crisis faced by school children. Atiku called for increased investment in public education and the expansion of tertiary institutions to ensure that every Nigerian child has access to quality education, regardless of their background.