The Federal Government has bowed to nationwide pressure and reversed a controversial hike in textbook assessment fees, slashing the charges and ordering refunds for publishers who paid under the earlier rates.
The directive to the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council, NERDC, marks a major victory for education advocates who warned the policy would drive up the cost of school books and shut out low-income families.
Under the revised structure, NERDC is to implement the lower fees immediately and process refunds for publishers assessed at the previous rates. The government said the move is to ease financial pressure on publishers, expand participation in textbook evaluation, and keep learning materials affordable.
LIGHTRAY! AT THE FOREFRONT
It would be recalled that LightRay! Media Founder and Publisher, Lady Ejiro Umukoro, led the national campaign against the fee hike.
For weeks, Lady Ejiro took the fight to national and global audiences — calling out the policy on Arise News, News Central, ADBN, and across international media platforms. She described the initial charges as insensitive and ill-timed in a country blessed with oil, gas and solid minerals.
“In a resource-rich nation like Nigeria, education ought to be free. Countries with far less than we have provide free textbooks. We cannot tax knowledge and expect development,” she said during her media engagements.
Lady Ejiro also condemned what she termed opaque ranking systems and prohibitive assessment fees that threatened to make textbooks unaffordable.
Her advocacy drew strong backing from the Nigerian Publishers Association, which warned the fees would push book prices beyond the reach of average families and undermine access to quality education.
WHAT THE REVERSAL MEANS
The FG’s reversal, following engagements between the Federal Ministry of Education and stakeholders, signals a retreat by NERDC. For publishers, it removes an immediate cost barrier. For parents and students, it offers relief ahead of the new school session.
For LightRay!, the outcome validates months of watchdog journalism and public advocacy aimed at holding institutions accountable.
“This is a win for Nigerian children, for publishers, and for every voice that said education should not be commodified,” Lady Ejiro said.
Whether NERDC pays refunds promptly and sustains the lower fees will determine if the government’s pledge moves from policy paper to classroom reality.
