A recent proposal in the House of Representatives to make the 2023/2024 secondary school examinations free for all Nigerians has been met with rejection by lawmakers.
The motion, which was introduced by Anamero Dekeri, urged the federal government to eliminate fees for exams such as WAEC, NECO, and JAMB for the upcoming academic session.
However, the proposal did not gain favor among the legislators.
This motion comes at a time when the Nigerian public has been critical of lawmakers for allocating substantial funds for their official vehicles.
Dekeri’s motion emphasized that the federal government had already realized savings through the removal of petroleum subsidies and should, in turn, provide assistance to struggling families. He advocated for the Ministry of Education to waive examination fees.
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The motion’s prayer, as presented by Dekeri, stated, “Urge the Ministry of Education to declare 2023 and 2024 WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations registration free, to enable the common man have a direct benefit of fuel subsidy removal palliatives.”
Upon its introduction, the motion faced strong opposition from House members. Majority Leader Julius Ihonvbere proposed an amendment that lawmakers should fund the free examinations instead. However, this amendment was countered by Ado Doguwa, who argued that members were already covering the fees.
After a lengthy debate, Awaji Abiante moved to set aside the motion, and this decision was unanimously adopted.
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