The N50,000 fee imposed by the National Examination Council (NECO) for the reprinting of certificates has been met with stiff opposition from the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The new policy was announced in a statement by Dantani Wushishi, the Registrar of NECO in Minna, Niger State is subject to periodic review and the reprint requests will only be approved within one year of the original certificate issuance.
However, the NANS Clerk of the Senate, Comrade Abdulyekinn Odunayo, in a statement obtained by newsmen on Wednesday, described the decision as outrageous and a commercialization of education.
Odunayo explained that the fee is an unacceptable burden on students, coming at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet.
He stressed that economic hardship is taking a toll on Nigerian students, adding that the new policy by NECO gives room to doubt its commitment to education.
The statement reads: “The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) unequivocally condemns the outrageous decision by the National Examination Council (NECO) to impose a N50,000 fee for certificate reprints.
“This draconian policy is a slap in the face of Nigerian students, already beset by financial hardships and uncertainty.
“The N50,000 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, perpetuate inequality, disproportionately affecting disadvantaged students and undermine the integrity of NECO, casting doubt on its commitment to education for all.”
According to the statement, the NECO’s fee structure and policies lacked transparency, and sparked concerns about mismanagement of funds and inefficient service delivery.
The student body, while reiterating its advocacy for affordable, accessible, and quality education, demanded an immediate reversal and reduction of the fee to an affordable amount.
“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 N50,000 fee, a reduction of the fee to a more affordable amount (not exceeding status quo), extension of the reprint request deadline to 5 years and a stakeholder engagement to ensure student-centric decision-making,” the statement added.
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