By Aminu Garko
Abuja- July 13, 2026 – The Islamic Scholars and Experts Community Initiative for Development, ISECID, Nigeria, has urged the Federal Government to reverse the proposed increase in registration fees for the National Examinations Council, NECO, Senior School Certificate Examination.
The group described the move as ill-timed and detrimental to the country’s educational and national development goals.
This was contained in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Bashir Ahmad Usman, on Sunday.
ISECID expressed concern that the proposed hike would place additional financial burden on millions of Nigerian families already grappling with economic challenges.
The organisation, made up of scholars, researchers and development experts, acknowledged the government’s efforts to stabilise the academic calendar and introduce the Student Loan Scheme, but said increasing examination fees contradicted the objective of expanding access to education.
It stated that Nigeria was facing a shortage of researchers, scientists, technologists and other skilled professionals needed to drive economic diversification, and warned that higher financial barriers at the secondary school level would discourage many students from pursuing higher education.
According to ISECID, public education was once accessible to children from different socio-economic backgrounds, but rising costs had gradually placed it beyond the reach of many ordinary Nigerians.
The group noted that while the Student Loan Scheme had been introduced, uncertainties around its accessibility and sustainability meant that children from poor and vulnerable households could still be denied access to tertiary education.
ISECID also warned that rising education costs, coupled with inflation and widening inequality, could worsen poverty and insecurity.
It described education as a public good and a critical tool for poverty reduction, national cohesion and security, and said it was contradictory for government to express concern over out-of-school children while introducing policies that could exclude more children from formal education.
The organisation therefore urged the Federal Government, the Minister of Education and NECO management to review and reverse the proposed fee increase.
It also called for the institutionalisation of subsidies for public examinations to reduce the financial burden on parents and guardians, and for government to engage religious organisations, civil society groups, labour unions and education experts in developing sustainable funding models.
“Education remains the foundation of national development. Subsidising NECO registration fees will protect vulnerable families and demonstrate government’s commitment to making quality education available to every Nigerian child,” the statement said.
