Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, has approved a cut in the cost of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) application forms from N5,000 to N3,500; from January 2019.

Government also announced reduction of fees for Senior Secondary Certificate handled by National Examination Council (NECO) from 11,350 to N9,850 and Basic Education Certificate handled by NECO, from N5,500 to N4,000.

House of Representatives had, in May, urged Ministry of Education to slash the cost of JAMB application forms.

The call followed JAMB’s announcement that it remitted N7.8 billion to the federal government, as proceeds from sales of Unified Tertiary Examinations (UTME) application forms in 2017. The lawmakers accused JAMB of becoming a “revenue generating agency.”

Education Minister, Mr Adamu Adamu, who briefed State House Correspondents at the end of the three hours meeting, on the memo he presented on the reduction of fees for JAMB, Senior Secondary and Basic Education Certificate Examinations, said the reduction followed pleas from parents.

He said: “Since the new administration came into office and as a result of prudent management by JAMB, we have been able to see that most of what have been charged doesn’t have to be because a lot of it have been siphoned by corrupt officials.

“So, in answer to yearnings by parents, Mr. President directed that we should look into the possibility of reducing the charges.

“So, accordingly, from January 2019, JAMB fees will be reduced from N5,000 to N3,500 for UTME, Senior Secondary Certificate charged by National Examination Council (NECO) from 11,350 to N9,850 and Basic Education Certificate handled by NECO is reduced from N5,500 to N4,000.”

Sun