The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly opposed the ₦50,000 fee recently introduced by the National Examination Council (NECO) for reprinting certificates. This decision was announced by NECO’s Registrar, Dantani Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State.
NECO stated that the ₦50,000 fee for certificate reproduction would be subject to periodic review and that requests for reprints would only be accepted within one year of the original certificate’s issuance.
In response, Comrade Abdulyekinn Odunayo, the NANS Clerk of the Senate, condemned the move, labeling it as an excessive and unfair commercialization of education. He emphasized that the fee would impose an undue financial burden on students, particularly amid the ongoing economic challenges faced by many.
Odunayo’s statement declared: “The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) unequivocally condemns the outrageous decision by the National Examination Council (NECO) to impose a ₦50,000 fee for certificate reprints. This draconian policy is a slap in the face of Nigerian students, already beset by financial hardships and uncertainty.”
He continued, “The ₦50,000 fee is an unacceptable burden on students, many of whom struggle to make ends meet. This fee will exacerbate financial exclusion, denying countless students access to their rightful certificates, perpetuating inequality, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged students, and undermining the integrity of NECO.”
NANS also raised concerns about NECO’s overall fee structures and transparency, suggesting potential fund mismanagement and poor service delivery. They called for NECO to reconsider its policies, advocating for a more affordable and student-friendly approach to education costs.
The association demanded an immediate reversal of the ₦50,000 fee, proposing a significant reduction in the charge, an extension of the reprint request deadline to five years, and the initiation of a more inclusive dialogue to prioritize student interests in decision-making.
Odunayo concluded by stating, “The National Association of Nigerian Students will not stand idly while education is commercialized and students are exploited. We demand an immediate reversal of the ₦50,000 fee, a reduction of the fee to a more affordable amount (not exceeding the status quo), an extension of the reprint request deadline to five years, and stakeholder engagement to ensure student-centric decision-making.”