Parents in Kano State have lamented the failure of the Kano Educational Resource Department Qualifying Unit to refund the qualifying examination fees of their children.
The fees, put at ₦26,500 for the 2024 WAEC and NECO examinations, had earlier been paid by the parents but were supposed to be refunded upon payment by the state government.
Muhammad Bello Yusuf, who spoke on behalf of the parents, said: “To the best of our knowledge, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf had graciously paid the examination fees for all eligible students in the state. Yet KERD has not refunded the fees we had previously paid.
Yusuf further cited the financial squeeze many families were facing. “Parents are already struggling with the harsh economic conditions. We expected the refund to alleviate some of our burdens, but after seven months, there has been no response from KERD,” he added.
Ado Muhammad Tiga, a father of two, equally expressed his worries, calling on the state government to intervene and ensure the quick processing of their refunds. “I have two children, and I struggled to pay their fees. We’re grateful the state governor paid for our children’s exams, but KERD has not refunded the amount we paid, even after seven months,” he said. “This is about accountability. We trust the government to act in our best interest, and we hope this issue is resolved soon.”
In June last year, the Kano State Government released ₦2,910,682,780 for the payment of examination fees for 119,903 indigent students to enable them to sit for the 2024 NECO and NBAIS examinations. This was confirmed by the then-Commissioner for Education, Umar Doguwa, who said such students must have attained a minimum of four credits in mock examinations.
The Qualifying Examination Coordinator at KERD, Malam Lawan Kibiya, reacted to the issue, asking parents who were yet to be refunded to ask for their money from the secondary schools where the registration fees were paid, adding that the problem may not be from KERD. “I can confirm that KERD has refunded 100% of the qualifying exam fees. If the parents have not received their refund, the problem may be at the school or delayed because of the recent upgrades in commercial bank systems,” Malam Lawan explained.
He said the parents who did not get their refunds should continue complaining to the KERD Qualifying Unit. “We are still receiving complaints, and our doors are still open for any parent who has not received their refund,” he said.
Parents lament non-refund of examination fees by Kano educational department