The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has vehemently opposed the National Examination Council’s (NECO) recent decision to impose a N50,000 fee for certificate reprints.
NECO announced the new policy in late September, stating that the fee would be subject to periodic review and that reprint requests would only be approved within a year of the original certificate issuance.
NANS’ Senate Clerk, Abdulyekinn Odunayo, described the fee as an “outrageous commercialization of education,” placing an undue burden on students who are already struggling financially.
He emphasized that the policy casts doubt on NECO’s commitment to affordable and accessible 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.”
NANS criticized NECO’s lack of transparency regarding fee structures and policies, raising concerns about mismanagement of funds and inefficient service delivery.
The student body demanded an immediate reversal of the fee or a significant reduction to a more affordable amount.
The statement added: “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.”
