On Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education declared that, pending a thorough examination of the policy, it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 letter outlining the proposed tuition change.
In a statement, the ministry’s director of press and public relations, Boriowo Folasade, stated that the decision was made in response to Nigerians’ reactions to the proposed hike. The ministry said it had taken notice of the people’s concerns and helpful comments.
The Ministry claims that the country’s economic realities and the rising expense of conducting reliable national exams were the original driving forces for the proposed price revision.
It clarified that despite growing operational costs for logistics, security, printing exam materials, technology deployment, quality assurance, and other essential services needed to maintain the integrity of public exams, exam registration fees had remained essentially unchanged for a number of years.
However, in keeping with the federal government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent, and evidence-based policymaking, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, the minister of education, ordered that the idea be put on hold.
According to the Ministry, the decision demonstrated its commitment to making sure that policies that impact millions of students and their families are well considered and submitted to widespread input before being put into effect.
The statement stated, “The Ministry will engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organized labor, education stakeholders, and other critical partners as part of the fresh review process.”
It further stated that while preserving access to education, the discussions will guarantee that any future decisions about examination costs are equitable, sustainable, transparent, and sensitive to current economic circumstances.
The ministry emphasized that until the consultation process was finished and a final decision was made, the planned hike would not go into effect.
The ministry assured Nigerians of the government’s dedication to education, stating that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector remained focused on student welfare, fair access to high-quality education, and responsible policymaking.
Additionally, it promised to keep the public updated during the consultation process and thanked parents, students, and other stakeholders for their patience, understanding, and ongoing support.
