The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, pending further consultations with stakeholders.

In a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education, the government said it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026, letter approving the fee adjustment to allow for a comprehensive review following concerns raised by members of the public.

According to the ministry, the proposed increase was necessitated by rising costs associated with conducting national examinations, including expenses for logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance.

The statement noted that the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government's commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.

The ministry said consultations would be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school owners, parents, organised labour and other education stakeholders before any final decision is reached.

— THENATION