Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government over the recent increase in Federal Unity Colleges' fees and the proposed ₦50,000 examination fee for candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council examination from 2027.
Atiku's position was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, who described the policy as economically harsh and capable of denying millions of Nigerian children access to education.
The former vice president argued that imposing higher education costs at a time of rising inflation, increasing food prices, transportation costs, electricity tariffs and unemployment would worsen the burden on struggling families.
According to him, education remains the most effective means of lifting people out of poverty, warning that additional financial pressure on parents could force more children out of school.
Atiku expressed concern that Nigeria already has one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally, insisting that government policies should focus on expanding access to education rather than creating additional barriers.
He maintained that increasing fees in Federal Unity Colleges and introducing a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates would disproportionately affect children from low- and middle-income households.
The ADC presidential candidate also argued that the proposed examination fee could reduce access to tertiary education, as many students from disadvantaged backgrounds might be unable to afford the qualifying examinations required for university admission.
He further noted that the country's universities already face limited admission capacity, with available spaces falling far short of the number of admission seekers annually, stressing that the latest policy would further restrict educational opportunities.
Atiku also questioned the Federal Government's education financing strategy, saying student loan initiatives would have little impact if many prospective beneficiaries could not afford secondary education or the examinations required to gain university admission.
He called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the increase in Unity Schools' fees and the proposed WAEC and NECO examination charges, while urging the Federal Government to engage stakeholders on sustainable funding for public education.
The former vice president also advocated increased investment in public schools, expansion of educational infrastructure, recruitment of more teachers and improved admission capacity in tertiary institutions, insisting that no Nigerian child should be denied education because of poverty.
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