From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
Ordinarily, the commencement of a new academic year should be a soothing development for parents, teachers and students having “refuelled” after a long holiday. But this is not case for parents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. No thanks to the biting inflation that forced some schools to hike fees, just as prices of foodstuffs, books and uniforms rose incredibly.
For parents and guardians with children and wards in schools, this is probably the toughest and most demanding period. They need to replace almost everything from learning materials to uniforms for the new school year.
Henry Obinna, a businessman father of four, resides in Kuje. He lamented: “It has been very difficult and demanding sending the children back to school this session because things are very tough.
Since the day my wife reminded me of the resumption, I have been sick.
I know it is a monetary illness because my brain has not rested, calculating how and where to get money. Once I start this kind of calculation, the next thing is sickness.
“We have two children in secondary, two in primary schools. And this is a new academic year that almost all their things need to be replaced, even some of the uniforms. But I had to borrow heavily from friends.
“I went to the market to shop for some of their materials that are not sold in their schools. The prices were so high. I went to check on fairly used ones, to my greatest surprise, they were even higher.
“I just had to buy the ones I could afford for now. We have not even talked about books and school fees, which are done in the school. I am still calculating how to go about those ones. I have been unnecessarily angry these days, all because of how to get money to send them back to school.
“The ones in secondary school have not resumed because I have to pay for the school bus. Even if I want to change to using normal transporters, it won’t be easy because the road is too bad and transportation fare has been hiked.”
Another parent, Igbane Ruth, also has an unpalatable tale: “We were crying that we are tired of having these children at home that school should resume. It has now resumed and everybody is running up and down. Most parents have been forced to economise by force.
“We have three children in primary school. The last one is expected to join them this term. But the way things are going, we have concluded to keep him at home till next term. We can’t meet all their demands.
We were initially considering changing their schools. With the prices of things, we decided to remain where we were.”
Mary Ameh, a parent in Kubwa: “In the past, I used to prepare the kids’ materials before resumption. This session is a different thing altogether because nothing is on ground.
“The children didn’t resume the first week because we were unable to pay for even the books to enable them write in their new classes.
“I will have to follow them to school to plead with their teachers to allow them to use their old books. Once I am able to pay for the new ones they will transfer wherever they have done there.”
Kingsley Orgo, a civil servant: “I know it is not easy but it is still a necessity which also calls for discipline. I have been able to pay for their fees but for the books, I will collect from the school on credit. Every other thing like school bags and sandals will be on hold until things get better.”
Dan Nwafor, said he foresaw the economic horror and planned ahead to get around it: “The school expenditure is always my priority. l havesettled everything.
“I was not carried away by the lengthy break, they will be fully back to class with all they need. One of the reasons parents are lamenting today is because most of them refused to plan ahead.”
Georgina Charles from Jabi, agreed: “I have settled my ward’s tuition during the break. Though it was not easy but I have done it, because it was my priority. I started buying his school things like sandals, bags and juices from the day schools went on break. So, I have more than enough now. And I wasn’t stressed.”
Some traders who deal in school materials like school bags, sandals, lunch boxes and books decried poor patronage due to economic hardship.
Others blamed schools for selling books and other materials, thus hurting their businesses.
Abraham Terfa, a bookshop dealer in Wuse Market, said the patronage has been very poor compared to other years. He said sales during promotion terms were always very high but in 2022, the bad economy worsened the matter.
Another bookshop dealer, Joshua Ike, said: “I know that things are hard. Our main problem is from school owners who want to eat theirs and what belongs to other people.
“They collect school fees, but it is not enough for them. They are now selling books and other learning materials. Before you see anyone buying books from the bookshop, it is very difficult. They have crippled our business.”
A school proprietress in Jabi, Mummy B, told Daily Sun: “I have decided to maintain the current fees and other things even though things are supposed to be increased looking at the hike in prices of things in the market. Parents have continued to plead for their children to be allowed to use old books in their classes while some are yet to resume.
“In the past, parents usually visited the school to settle their wards’ tuitions before resumption. But this year none of such happened.”
A school proprietor who did not want his name in print groaned that business was quite low and very slow because most parents have not settled their children’s tuitions: “I normally pay my workers’ salaries the first week of resumption, but this year no way because I couldn’t gather much during the break.”