The recent inflation and current rise in prices in the country is beginning to hit on all sectors in the economy and placing heavy burden on low-income Nigerians. The link between success and education has been tied for centuries in such a way that many believe success can’t be achieved without education.
The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, on its recent update to the general public as published on ChannelsTv website on the 18th of December 2023 is a direct effect of the rising cost of commodities in the country.
The increase of registration fee for 2024 UTME to seven thousand, seven hundred naira (N7,700) together with mock examination and six thousand two hundred naira (N6,200) without mock examination will only make things for the less privilege more difficult.
The cost of education is supposed to be subsidized by the government to make it easier for the citizens to be educated with ease but instead, it’s used as an avenue to impoverish the people.
The APC on its campaign manifesto talked about giving grants to students so that they can actually study without the stress of thinking and struggling to pay tuition fees so that they can have their full concentration and come out well grounded to help build the economy.
It’s seven months now and the masses are yet to experience the joy in receiving the said grants from the government, instead, the cost of education keeps increasing and students are been forced to drop out of school to pursue different dreams.
Let it be recorded that the JAMB form with the mock exam was six thousand seven hundred naira (N6,700) so with the one thousand naira (N1000) increment multiply by an estimate of one million and six hundred thousand candidates as published on The Guardian Nigeria News on 20th of February 2023.
That’s roughly N1.6b which makes one to think if there’s a relation between the SUVs for the lawmakers and the increment. But how can they be blamed when the government don’t usually pay them or fulfil its own obligation in the running of the educational sector in the country.
In a country where crude oil is surplus but imports petrol and pay with tax-payers money then increase the cost of the imported products and generate low epileptic electricity for the citizens while supplying steady electricity to other countries. Why won’t the cost of living get expensive?
Based on statistics, the increment won’t stop at seven thousand seven hundred naira (N7,700), it will keep rising as long as we keep importing fuel and using dollar as our payment currency within the country.
The poor child will soon realize that certificate from school is more difficult to achieve than learning a trade/skill and just as the JAMB registrar, Prof Ishaq Olarenwaju Oloyede said in an event captured by ChannelsTv on 18th December 2023: “degrees no longer guarantee employment”.
This will become an excuse for many young ones to leave the walls of education because the society and the government are making it even tougher. Of course, many candidates will still want to register because we’re already conditioned/programmed to pursue certificates, afterwards, pack it and pursue our dreams.