States’ Indebtedness to WAEC, NECO May Disrupt Candidates’ Admissions
The recent announcement by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) of some state governments’ non-payment of the examination fees of their students and the consequent hardship it caused the examination bod
The Nigerian government has severally been accused of not prioritising the education sector, thus responsible for the rot and abysmal performance of students. The claims by stakeholders seem to be confirmed by the indebtedness of many states to WAEC and NECO. While releasing the May/June 2015 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) results recently, WAEC had disclosed that candidates from public schools in 13 states might not have their results until their respective state governments pay up their registration fees.
The council’s Head of National Office, Mr. Charles Eguridu, who disclosed this, had earlier announced that 19 states owed the examination body. But at the time of releasing the results, he said six out of the 19 states paid their debts fully, while 13 had not and the results of their candidates were withheld.
However, after several consultations, WAEC had to rescind its decision following the assurance by the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) that the states will pay their debts.
He regretted that the action by the debtor states has slowed down the institution’s operations, adding “we are owing our examiners, printers, workers, hoteliers, among others. It has not allowed us to function the way we ought to. Nevertheless, we have been able to navigate through it.”
Having released the results of the statesponsored candidate, he expressed hope that the states would reciprocate its good gesture and pay up their debts, while also trusting on the effort of the governor’s forum to do the needful and get the states to pay.
Eguridu said the examination body did not foresee the current situation of states government defaulting in payment as they have always paid their bills. “The states all along have been paying when they owe. Apparently the general economy situation in the country perhaps would have made them default this time around.”
Similarly, NECO also threatened not to conduct the examination following some states’ indebtedness. The Registrar, Prof. Abdulrasid Garba, revealed that 11 states owed it millions of naira involving the registration and conduct of examinations for candidates. He said the situation has become critical because the money they are owing is huge.
“We are now talking with the states and there is indication that they will pay and if they don’t pay, we will not conduct NECO examination.”
While stating the rationale behind NECO’s subtle approach in penalising the indebted states, he said: “WAEC is serving international interest; NECO is serving the national interest. WAEC chose a different approach; NECO is choosing to be diplomatic. We are more national than WAEC; therefore, we are serving the nation.”
The registrar expressed concern over the accumulated debts the states are owing, while also expressing hope that the problem would be resolved in due course.
Amid worries over the states’ indebtedness to the examination bodies, some experts and stakeholders have described the trend as disturbing and a clear betrayal of trust by the governors who have social contract with their people.
The Principal Strategic Communication Officer, Fiscal Responsibility Commission, Abuja, Mr. Dayo Jagun, said: “It is unfortunate that 19 states are owing WAEC about N4 billion. I wonder why these governors would pretend to fund education while on the other hand refuse to pay the fees of pupils in their secondary schools.”
H said the payment of WAEC fees should not be turned to another empty campaign promises because no one forced the governors to commit themselves in the first place, adding that the states owning the councils should tender unreserved apology to their indigenes for such a monumental embarrassment and pay up.
“I hope the new government at the centre will bring sanity into our polity. It is high time we got our priority right as a nation.”
The South-west Zonal Head of the National Institute of Cultural Orientation (NICO), Akure, Mr. Ohi Ojo, expressed concern that withholding the results of the affected candidates could make forfeit their admission into tertiary institutions.
“When finally released, the unfortunate students who passed will have to wait for another session to seek admission through no fault of theirs. For those who may have failed, it could even be too late to write another examination which may mean losing two years.”
He said it is imperative for the affected states to pay up on time or discontinue the practice of promising to pay the examination fees of students if they can no longer foot the bills, instead of causing untold hardship to the students and parents who might be capable of paying the fees on their own.”
The Managing Director Hexagon Media, Mr. Segun Fayose, said apart from having a disastrous impact on the country’s education system, the level of indebtedness would adversely affect the capacity of the two bodies to conduct examinations in future.
He expressed concern that the credibility of the two bodies in carrying out their primary duties would be questioned because the quality of their work as examination bodies would be called to question because the process may be compromised if workers are not paid for the services rendered.
He argued that the challenges of managing students who have sat for examination but cannot immediately aspire to higher institutions of their choice in a particular calendar year due to unreleased results could be dire.
The Education Rights Campaign (ERC) in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mr. Hassan Taiwo Soweto and the National Secretary, Mr. Michael Ogundele kicked against punishing candidates for state governments’ profligacy, while condemning the debtor states for their gross irresponsibility, unbridled corruption and financial recklessness which are the reasons they are indebted to WAEC and NECO.
“ERC considers this decision very insensitive and unacceptable. WAEC should immediately reverse itself in the interest of candidates whose future will be severely threatened by this unfortunate decision.”
It called on WAEC to publish the names of the debtor states so as to expose them to public scrutiny, arguing that the council’s approach to recovering its debt is dangerous and condemnable.
“As far as the ERC is concerned, notwithstanding the desperate financial situation that may have compelled WAEC, threatening to punish ordinary children for the crimes committed by profligate state governments is highly insensitive and certainly unacceptable. Nigerian children and their parents are not responsible for the near bankruptcy of some of the states. Rather many of the candidates affected by this unfortunate decision are children of workers and civil servants whose salaries, since the beginning of the year, have also been unpaid for months by many of these state governments. ”
The Executive Secretary, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Olawunmi Gasper, said most states will be faced with the inability to continuously sustain the payment of WAEC and NECO fees on behalf of candidates in respective states and seemingly low commitment and dedication at secondary education level.
He added that fewer candidates might henceforth be registered by states government due to paucity of funds and they will not be able to shoulder additional overhead cost, noting that emphasis by state government would be on personnel emoluments.
“Affected states were hitherto to witness non-release of candidates’ examination results but for the response of some debtor states. They will priotise their global obligation and financial activities so as to avoid a recurrence of such financial predicament. Commitment of state governments to a sound education for its youths is a pathway to sound bedrock of the nation’s development,” he stressed.
A senior lecturer, Department of Education Psychology/Guidance and Counseling, Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Dr. Dayo Daodu described the action of the defaulting states as political interruption on the country’s education system, which should not be, stating that such embarrassment cannot be tolerated in some advanced countries.
He said the non-release of the results of the affected candidates “will lead to psychologically trauma and discouragement. It will affect their admission into higher institutions and make them lose confidence in education institutions like WAEC because many of them may not know all the drama between their state governments and the examination body.”
He warned political leaders to desist from politicising issues that pertain to education, as the future of any country is shaped through its education system.
“It is only in this part of the world that government and political leaders tamper with education. Our political leaders need adequate orientation to understand that when it comes to education, this is what the students stand to benefit from the government and it should be given to them, it should not be politicised.”
The Former Dean of School of Technical Education, Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Dr. Pat Akumabor said: “It is not a constitutional right that states must pay the WAEC fees of their students, but many of these state governors used it for electioneering campaign to get votes from the electorates and now they cannot pay. If WAEC withholds the result, the children will suffer it. It is traumatic; it means they cannot move forward, they cannot even write the next JAMB.”
She advised WAEC to ensure that the state governments make adequate commitment before registering their candidates as the amount being owed by the states are huge enough to obstruct the smooth operation of any organisation. “No organisation can easily survive with a N4 million debt.”
A parent, who identified herself as Mrs. Joy, said most of the states started paying these fees to encourage students and lessen the burden of parents, as the registration fees keep increasing by the day.
political leaders to desist from politicising issues that pertain to education, as the future of any country is shaped through its education system