Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has welcomed the suspension of the proposed increase in examination fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the decision as a significant relief for millions of Nigerian families grappling with rising economic hardship.
Obi said the reversal reflects the importance of placing the welfare of students and the future of the nation’s education system above financial considerations, stressing that access to quality education should never be determined by a family’s economic status.
He noted that with the soaring cost of living, many parents are already struggling to meet basic household needs, warning that any additional financial burden on candidates seeking secondary school qualifications would have further deepened educational inequality and increased the number of out-of-school children.
The former Anambra State governor urged authorities to sustain policies that expand, rather than restrict, access to education, arguing that investment in human capital remains one of the most effective pathways to national development.
Obi reiterated that education is not a privilege reserved for a few but a fundamental right that must be protected, calling on governments at all levels to prioritise affordable and inclusive education as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s long-term growth and prosperity.
