A review of education financing policies in West Africa has revealed a growing contrast between Ghana and Nigeria in the funding of secondary school examinations, raising fresh concerns among education stakeholders about the affordability of education for millions of Nigerian students.
Findings by The Nigeria Education News show that under Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, the government covers the cost of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) registration for students in public senior high schools. The intervention forms part of a broader commitment to ensure that financial constraints do not prevent qualified students from completing secondary education and sitting for their final examinations.
In Nigeria, however, the situation presents a different picture. Recent increases in the registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) have added to the financial burden already facing many households amid rising inflation and the increasing cost of living.
Education experts interviewed by The Nigeria Education News observed that examination registration fees, alongside other school-related expenses such as uniforms, textbooks, transportation and levies, have become significant barriers for many families. They warned that the cumulative costs are forcing some students to delay or entirely forgo participation in crucial examinations that determine access to higher education and employment opportunities.
The development comes at a time when Nigeria continues to grapple with one of the highest numbers of out-of-school children globally. Despite various federal and state interventions aimed at improving school enrolment and retention, poverty, insecurity and the rising cost of education remain major obstacles to achieving universal access to quality education.
Stakeholders noted that while governments have invested in school infrastructure, teacher recruitment and intervention programmes, the affordability of examination fees deserves greater policy attention, particularly for students from low-income households.
Several education advocates argued that expanding targeted subsidies or introducing examination fee support for vulnerable learners could help improve completion rates in secondary schools and reduce the risk of students dropping out shortly before graduation.
They further stressed that access to education extends beyond classroom attendance, noting that the ability to register for nationally recognised examinations is a critical component of the right to education.
As Nigeria continues efforts to improve educational outcomes and reduce the number of out-of-school children, analysts believe policymakers may need to re-examine existing education financing strategies to ensure that economic hardship does not prevent students from completing their secondary education and progressing to higher levels of learning.
The contrasting approaches adopted by Ghana and Nigeria have reignited conversations on how governments can better support learners, particularly at a time when education is widely recognised as a key driver of national development, poverty reduction and human capital growth.
