The Federal Government has suspended the recent increase in examination fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The decision comes after widespread public criticism and backlash over the fee increments.
The suspension was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which said the new fees have been put on hold pending further review.
Hundreds of students writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) narrowly escaped death on Wednesday evening when a classroom building collapsed at Government Secondary School, Namnai village, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State.
The incident occurred around 6 p.m. during a severe storm, shortly after the second batch of students had begun their examination.
Eyewitnesses said strong winds and heavy rainfall caused the classrooms to cave in, trapping students, teachers, members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and exam supervisors under the rubble.
“Many victims, both male and female students, sustained serious injuries, including fractures,” said Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, a resident of the village.
He added that local residents carried out rescue efforts that lasted several hours before the trapped individuals were pulled out.
The injured were taken to a nearby primary healthcare centre for treatment. Several residential buildings in Namnai were also reportedly damaged by the storm.
In a related development, the heavy downpour also disrupted WASSCE examinations in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital. Flooding and poor visibility left many students stranded, with some unable to return home until after 1 a.m.
As of the time of writing, government authorities have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident or the possible adjustment of the examination schedule.
