By Gabriel Dike, Grace Jacob Esther Emmanuel and
Holidays are gradually coming to an end. Parents’ guardians are struggling to meet their wards’ educational needs including payment of school fees.
Parents, guardians’ pupils and students told Daily Sun about their experiences, lamentations and expectations.
Parents lament
Mr Joshua Ngbede, parent and Head of Administration, Otukpo Local Government, Benue State, said: “This is the period we prepare our children to go to school, while many are going into new classes; some are going into the secondary school or the university for the first time. So there are always huge amounts to pay.
“I have received notice of fees increment from one and the others say as the school opens they will inform us. From the look of it, the way things are in the country now, I bet you, most of us cannot even afford to take our children to school again. Things are hard and every price has increased including the learning materials.
“From those schools yet to notify us of their school fees but I know they are preparing what to send to us.”
Another parent, Susan Ujor, said: “We are waiting for school to open. Definitely, we know the school fee will increase due to the economic meltdown in the country. We also know that prices of textbooks and other learning materials will increase. We appeal to the school managements to allow our children to get to school and commence learning while we parents hustle and bring the monies.
“We don’t want the situation where they will stand at the gate and say no payment, no school fees, no entry.”
Ujor said schools should at least allow children to settle down in the first three to four weeks of resumption. Also inform parents on time before embarking on school fees drive.
A trader, Mr. Ishola Owolabi said his two sons in secondary school presented list: “The total amount in the list is over #200,000. Both of them require new shoes, uniforms and bags. How do I raise this huge money?
“I decided to pay their school fees first, shoes and books. Other items will wait and when I have money, I will buy them. Their educational materials are expensive.”
A widow, Mrs. Sarah Bassey: “My son stays outside the campus at Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, OgunState. I have to look for the school fee, food allowance, rent and pocket money. Things are difficult in the country and business is not moving like before. I might borrow money to meet his demands.”
A trader, Mrs. Martha Samuel: “The prices of educational materials are so high in the market and we don’t know what to do. It is not about a gradual increment but on another level all together.
“I couldnt even buy everything on the list. I was only able to buy a few of them because the money wasn’t enough to buy them. For now I do not know what to do because the amount I budgeted for could only get a few of the items.
“The issue of increased school fees is another battle parents are fighting on the school platform. The proprietor had earlier complained about the economy and that teachers are expecting an increase in their salaries with other things like renovations and furniture.”
Mr. Obiakonze, a businessman has not bought any educational items for his six wards: “I do not procure their educational materials myself, the school gives me list and bills. The increase in prices has to do with the bill the school gives parents. That is in addition to the increase in price, which keeps increasing, every session. We will have to pay a new price to the point that for the new term.
“I was told about one of my children who is in secondary school the bill was more like three times what I paid last term. The bill is so high that one can have high blood pressure looking at it.”
A businessman, Mrs. Precious, said: “Yes definitely, there are price increments. In Nigeria, prices of things are just too high to the point that it just rendered one speechless because I always work with a budget but I had to buy the things because my children needs them.”
She said she was able to purchase everything on the list. She is awaiting the list of another school one of her wards attends.
Students list
Simon Ejiofor, an SS1 pupil of Royal Academy International, Idimu, Lagos, has been reminding his father about his educational needs for the new season. He said the father is faced with meeting the educational needs of two other siblings in the university: “I hope he makes the money available before the start of school.”
A student in a boarding and day secondary school, Makurdi, Benue State, Miss Rosemary Ankeli, said her termly school fees has increased from N35, 000 to N75, 000 for day students and from N100, 000 to N145, 000 for boarding students:
“This is besides the first term buying of books, PTA levy and other payments. Our school also introduced two new sets of school foot wears, a sandal and a shoe, both cost N16, 000 to be paid in school and checked upon resumption at the point of registration.
“When I gave my mother the list, she read it quietly. When she got to the money part, she read it out loud, peering into my face with surprised. And she asked me if I’m sure the school management wants us back to the school.”
Ankeli, who said her mother is a widow said: “For now she has not paid our fees or bought the sandals. She has asked us to pray for her so she can get the money to pay.”
Another student, Miracle Adah, said her parents are contemplating taking her to another school, which is paying less: “I just changed school last year September 2023. Now because of school fees increment, I might be moving to another one.” She lamented that it might affect her academic performances.
Isoma Anazia, 13-year-old JSS3 student, St. Vincent School, Bameke, Shasha, Lagos, said her parents saw the list on the school platform with the indication that the management increased the school fees.
Emmanuelle Mba, another 13-year-old JSS3 student of Community School, Shasha, Lagos, said her parents have purchased all the learning materials she needs to resume the new session.
Mrs. Shittu Yetunde, a mother of two said she hasn’t gotten her children any educational material for the new session because of high of cost: The school is about to increase its fees but parents are pleading with the headmistress to reconsider her position.”
Stephanie Chioma, also 13-year-old JSS3 presented the list of her educational needs to her parents. She explained that her school provides writing and reading materials, but added to the school fees:
My parents were not able to get everything on the list. The economy is hard and things are really expensive. They only got some of it but not all.
“Yes, there is increase in fees and I am just in shock and am thinking of how my parents will handle it, because of the new class I am about to enter. The price was increased three times more than what it used to be.”