The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly opposed the recent decision by the National Examination Council (NECO) to charge N50,000 for the reprinting of certificates. This fee was announced by NECO on September 30, 2024, in a statement from the Registrar of NECO, Dantani Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State.
According to the statement, the N50,000 fee applies to individuals seeking to reprint their NECO certificates and will only be valid for reprints requested within one year after the original certificate is issued. The fee is also subject to periodic reviews.
NANS has described the decision as unfair and an undue financial burden on Nigerian students. Abdulyekinn Odunayo, the Clerk of the NANS Senate, issued a statement criticizing the fee, calling it an attempt to commercialize education and take advantage of students who are already struggling financially.
Odunayo emphasized that this new fee structure comes at a time when many students are finding it difficult to cope with economic challenges. He stressed that the high cost of living in Nigeria has made it hard for students to make ends meet, and the added burden of the N50,000 certificate reprint fee is unfair.
In the statement, NANS firmly rejected the fee, calling it “outrageous” and claiming that it would create financial exclusion for students who cannot afford it.
Odunayo also expressed concern that this fee would particularly harm students from disadvantaged backgrounds, preventing them from accessing their certificates, which are crucial for employment and further 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.”
“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.
