BY AMB. EKI DAVID GREG
The incessant hike in WAEC, NECO, NABTEB, and JAMB registration fees has become a hydra-headed monster, suffocating the aspirations of countless Nigerian students and their parents. As the saying goes, “education is the passport to the future,” but for many, this passport has become a luxury they cannot afford.
The statistics are stark: a 2019 to 2021 registration fee of ₦13,500 to ₦18,000 has ballooned to ₦27,000 to ₦30,000 and above, excluding miscellaneous payments. Private schools, on the other hand, have become ivory towers, charging up to ₦100,000 and above. This is a clear case of “the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer.”
As Aristotle once said, “The state is a partnership in the highest good.” Lawmakers, who are the chosen representatives of the people, must prioritize the welfare of their constituents and intervene in this pressing issue. They are the “helm of the ship,” and it’s time they steered the course towards a more equitable and accessible education system.
The consequences of inaction are dire: brilliant students are being denied access to education, and the mental health of the leaders of tomorrow is being compromised. As the saying goes, “a mind is a terrible thing to waste.”The Senate and National House of Assembly must urgently address this issue and explore ways to decrease these fees, rather than allowing them to skyrocket for personal gain.
Learning is supposed to be a joyful journey, not a nightmare. It’s time for lawmakers to put the interests of the masses at heart and ensure that education becomes a beacon of hope, rather than a source of despair.
