Must poor Nigerians be deprived of educational opportunities because they cannot afford a newly introduced ₦4,000 O’Level results verification fee reportedly required by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)?
At a time when millions of Nigerians are struggling with the rising cost of food, transportation, accommodation and other basic necessities, one cannot help but question whether imposing additional financial burdens on young people seeking admission into higher institutions is the right approach.
Nigeria is already grappling with significant challenges, including poverty, unemployment, insecurity, banditry and kidnapping. Many families struggle to provide three meals a day. Others are battling soaring rents, with some unable to afford decent accommodation and, in extreme cases, becoming homeless.
Against this backdrop, the introduction of additional costs associated with accessing education deserves careful scrutiny.
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The fundamental question is straightforward: Must every step towards acquiring an education come with another financial hurdle?
Education is widely regarded as one of the most effective tools for breaking the cycle of poverty. For many Nigerian families, education represents the hope that their children can achieve a better future and escape the economic difficulties confronting them.
That is why policies that create additional barriers to educational access should be approached with caution.
For a family that is financially comfortable, ₦4,000 may appear relatively insignificant. But for a parent struggling to feed a family, pay rent, cover transportation costs and meet school-related expenses, ₦4,000 can represent a substantial amount.
For such families, the issue is not simply about the amount involved. It is about the cumulative burden of multiple charges imposed on citizens who are already struggling to survive.
What happens to a student whose parents cannot raise the money when it is needed? Could such a charge delay an admission process or prevent a deserving young Nigerian from taking advantage of an educational opportunity?
These are questions that government agencies should consider when designing and implementing policies that directly affect vulnerable citizens.
This is where empathy and social responsibility become important. Public institutions must recognise the economic realities of the people they serve. While agencies may have legitimate reasons for introducing verification charges, such policies should be accompanied by measures that protect indigent students from being excluded.
The government should therefore consider whether there are more inclusive ways of funding the verification process without placing the entire burden on students and their families.
Nigeria is a country with enormous human and natural resources. If these resources are effectively managed and translated into improved social welfare, perhaps the economic pressure on ordinary citizens would be less severe.
Instead, Nigerians continue to contend with concerns about corruption, poor governance, unemployment, insecurity and the high cost of living, while families are increasingly forced to make difficult choices about which basic needs they can afford.
We cannot afford to build a society where education gradually becomes a privilege reserved for those who can pay for every stage of the process.
The government and relevant education agencies should urgently review the ₦4,000 verification fee and explore waivers, subsidies or alternative arrangements for indigent students. No deserving Nigerian should lose an educational opportunity simply because their family cannot afford an administrative charge.
Education should be a pathway out of poverty—not another wall standing between poor Nigerians and a better future.
Nigeria needs policies that recognise the realities of ordinary citizens. The poor are already carrying enough burdens.
Enough of avoidable hardship. The future of Nigerian children should not become the price we pay for policies designed without sufficient consideration for those at the bottom of the economic ladder.
