Stakeholders are reacting harshly to the Federal Government’s review of charges for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), Senior Secondary Certificate Examination(SSCE) and Basic Education Certificate Examination(BECE), arguing that the gesture is a mere diversion from real issues facing the sector.
Some stakeholders, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, said the cost of the forms should never have been exorbitant in the first instance that the presidency's infantile attempt as diverting attention from real issues such as ASUU strike, poor quality of education, dilapidated infrastructure and out- of- school children is in utter vain.
“ I tell you, reduction in these fees is a kind of diversion from the real issue. Our tertiary institutions are always on strike; is it the reduction of JAMB fees and NECO that will solve the poor quality of students and lecturer impact?, quizzed Mrs Lelo Apena, a parent.
She continued, “Are the out-of -school children and their parents and guardians being helped to ensure their children are enrolled in school and not drop out before completion for various reasons?’’
Apena was of the opinion that states government should take over the payment of JAMB and NECO fees for poor students in their communities.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved the downward review of the examination registration fees which will take effect from January 2019.
This follows the N7.8 billion returned to the federal governmet's coffer as surplus by the JAMB boss, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, July this year and the realisation that the exam body is not a money making institution.
The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu who announced the reduction after the FEC’s meeting said Joint Admission Matriculation Board (JAMB) fees for UTME had been reduced from N5,000 to N3,500.
Adamu said government also reduced the SSCE fees charged by the National Examinations Council (NECO) from N11,350 to N9,850 while the Basic School Certificate Examination (BSCE) by NECO was reduced from N5,500 to N4,000.
Meanwhile, Scooper had reported that the House of Representatives, late Wednesday, declared a state of emergency on the education sector in a broader effort at rescuing it from further decay.
To this end, the House resolved to increase the budgetary allocation of the sector to the United Nations standard of 26 per cent from the present paltry seven percent.
It also set up an adhoc committee to interface with the relevant Ministries, Department and Agencies, MDAs, of government in the sector to proffer best solutions on the issue.
The development is directly connected to the ongoing nationwide strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to protest poor funding of universities in the country.
The strike which commenced Monday, November 5, after the union's National Executive Council meeting held at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State the previous night, appeared to be the last solution according to the union's president.
“Having waited patiently for action and meaningful negotiation with reasonable men using the principle of collective bargaining, ASUU at its NEC meeting of 3rd and 4th November 2018 at the FUTA, resolved to resume the nationwide strike action it suspended in September 2017 with immediate effect.
“This strike will be total, comprehensive and indefinite. Our members shall withdraw their services until government fully implements all outstanding issues as contained in the MOA of 2017, and concludes the renegotiation of the 2009 agreements, said Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi, the National President of the ASUU.
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