On Wednesday, the National Association of Nigerian Students rejected the National Examination Council’s N50,000 fee for reprinting certificates.
Dantani Wushishi, NECO’s Registrar in Minna, Niger State, revealed the new policy in a statement on September 30, 2024.
According to the statement, the N50,000 fee for certificate reprint is subject to periodic review, and reprint requests will only be accepted within one year of the original certificate issuance.
In response to the new charge, NANS Clerk of the Senate Abdulyekinn Odunayo issued a statement calling the decision outrageous and a commercialisation of education.
Odunayo noted that the charge is an unreasonable burden on students, especially 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.”
NAN said 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 commercialised 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.