Exam fees suspension: ‘Education is not a source of revenue’ — Peter Obi

Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Peter Obi, has welcomed the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees and urged the Federal Government to review other policies he said impose hardship on Nigerians.

Obi spoke in a statement posted on his official X page on Monday.

According to Obi, the suspension followed widespread public opposition to the policy, which he argued would have placed additional financial pressure on families already facing economic challenges.

He maintained that introducing examination fees at the basic education level would have created barriers to learning at a time when efforts should be focused on reducing the number of out-of-school children across the country.

“While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

“At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded, not restricted. Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue,” he stated.

Obi argued that governments have a responsibility to invest in education rather than introduce financial measures that could discourage school enrolment.

“Imposing multiple fees at the basic education level risks denying many children their right to education. At that stage, the State has a duty to invest in educating and preparing its citizens for productive lives, not to erect financial barriers that keep them out of school,” Obi said.

He added that leaders should be willing to reverse policies that place unnecessary burdens on citizens and thanked parents, advocacy groups and other Nigerians whose public opposition, according to him, contributed to the suspension of the examination fees.