The possibility of some children returning to schools for the new academic sesion is doubtful as most parents are overwhelmed with the burden of school fees and other related expenses as they struggle to get their wards ready for school in the new term.
Some of the parents are almost given up hope about their children’s return to school this session due to hike in school fees, exorbitant costs of textbooks, coupled with hike in transport fares and other sundry charges.
Some of the parents who spoke with ThisNigeria identified the prevailing economic downturn as one of the factors responsible for their current financial predicament.
“As I speak with you I dont know how my children will return to school this session”, a parent expressed his frustration.
The pathetic story of Mama Ngozi, a petty trade who happens to be a single parent after the death of her husband gives credence to the thinking of some other parents struggling to pay their children’s school fees.
“I am a widow and a single parent of four. Two of my children are still in secondary school and it has been really tough meeting up with my obligation on my children.
“Paying of school fees is my greatest challenge, the way it’s rising, has started taking a toll on my business. If I am not careful I will spend my capital and run out of business.
“They just keep increasing the fees because they know that we will pay.
“If government can come to our aid, it will be good. I know that private schools are not owned by government and the owners are in business to make profit, but they shouldn’t kill us while making their profit”.
Another pathetic case is that of Gold Augustine, a primary five pupil of a school based in Abuja, who told ThisNigeria that her parent had concluded plans to withdraw her and other two siblings from private school to public school because they could’nt cope with the school fees again and other necessities.
*Parents express their pains, fears
Remilekun Fagbemi, a Civil Servant based in Abuja sounded more philosophical as she liken the issue of school fees to a pregnant woman whose husband is expecting a baby after nine months; but in most cases couples are always caught unprepared financially when the baby eventually arrives.
“One can never prepare enough for school fees as it’s always on the rise. The way private schools increase their fees make it very difficult to plan.
“We are already overwhelmed, but it’s our responsibility as parents, we must do everything possible to pay children’s school fees, including cutting down on so many things in the family just to meet up with our obligation.
“School fees here in Abuja have skyrocketed, unlike what was obtainable at the begining, which was affordable. But it is a different story today and painfully enough, our income does not increase like that.
We have three children in the same school, the school fees and other charges are almost beyond our reach now. We are sacrificing too much. When you struggle to pay the fees after resumption, the school will still come up with another charges.
Another woman, Haj. Nafsat Abul, business woman has this to say:
The fear of school fees in the beginning of wisdom. We have squeezed ourselves financially till we can’t squeeze no more. My husband and I put resources together to pay the children’s school fees and other sundry charges as well as. Though my husband doesn’t like that; he wants to be a man, I understand, but we are both young and I am working.
Of late my husband is maintaning low key life in a bid to meet up with the payment of our children school fees.
Apart from the school fees, there are other things to buy. The prices of other things are equally on the high side. People say things are coming down because the price of rice and other grains dropped. Prices of beverages are high, some families can no longer afford eggs. We are a young family, how can we stabilise if we spend almost our income on one aspect of our life, though it’s important, other things are important too.
Mrs. Raliat Isa, a mother of three, expressed her worries: “It is becoming unbearable. I still have my first child’s old textbooks, but the school insists my second child cannot use them. They say it’s a new edition, yet the topics remain the same. I feel it is a sheer exploitation.”
For Mr. Abdul Bello, the situation has forced him into debt: “I run a small business, and school fees alone are already taking larger shunk of my meagre income. Adding new textbooks every year makes it almost impossible to cope. Sometimes I borrow money just to keep my children in school.”
Mr. Ogundele Isaac, a father of four, lamented the lack of flexibility from schools: “Sending your wards to school should be a thing of joy but should inflict so much pain o paents. The junior ones should be allowed to use old textbooks used by their senior brothers or sisters, if they are still relevant. The fees are high, and the schools don’t seem to consider the reality of our economy.”
Mrs. Florence, another parent, highlighted the emotional toll: “Sometimes, I feel like pulling my children out of private school. The pressure is too much, and when you can’t pay on time, the embarrassment your children face is heartbreaking.”
Mrs. Ibitayo Adenike echoed similar concerns, calling for government intervention in terms regulatory policies to guide private school operations. “How can they keep forcing us to buy new books and still increase fees every term? Many parents are suffering in silence.”
Mr. Ojo Bello says in spite of his low income is paying close to one million naira for three children. “How much is my salary in a month?”, he asked rhethorically.
He continued: “If our public schools are properly organised most parents will enroll their children there.
Government should make education accessible to all and sundry. No one should be denied quality education at affordable rates.”
Aside from paying school fees, Whatof accommodation, transportation and feeding-these are necessities we cannot do away with.
Also, Mrs. Faith Olusegun, a widow said: “ I am not able to cope because things are quite tough. I have children in public school. I can’t afford a private school. Where will I get the money to sponsor them? Are you not aware that some parents are in debts because they can’t pay the school fees of their children?
*Teachers’ Perspectives
Some teachers also gave insight into the ongoing discussion because of its national importance. They gave first-hand information based on their experiences as major stakeholders in the educational sector.
Speaking with an English teacher with Government Secondary School, Rafiseyin — Suleja in Niger State, Mrs. Stella Otaru observed that many parents are likely to withdraw their children from private schools to government owned schools as some parents may not be able to cope with the increased school fees.
“Indications are very much rife that the population of our classroom may double for new student’s intakes from private schools””
A Senior teacher with the LEA Secondary School Piakasa, Abuja FCT, Joseph Wabara corroborated the position of her colleague saying several parents may find it difficult to cope with high cost of transportation and the needs of their wards. And as such may be forced to withraw their children from private schools.
“You may not blame the parents because many of them have lost their jobs, coupled with high cost of house rents and the inability to meet other family demands”.
Also Madam Yemi Oladele, a Senior Administrator with FCT Education Board made contribution to the issue of the moment.
According to her: “the high cost of living is not helping many parents to send their children to school anymore.
“From my findings, many parents prefer their children to take to professional trades like, vulcanizing, plumbing, driving , tailoring among others instead of wasting all their funds in training the children through primary, secondary and tertiary institutions only to discover at the end of the day, the same children will be struggling to get jobs outside there”, she said.
She however, advise parents to do their best especially in getting their children trained empowering them for future challenges and opportunity that may come their ways in their chosen career.
A visit to some schools in Abuja like St Alouysius nursery and primary schools, in Garki and Growright Academy, Gudu, indicated that some old students didn’t resume in the new session. It was also gathered that the numbers of new intakes were low.
The Principal of Madonna college, Garki, Rev Sr Ngozi Chukwuka said the increase in school fees might have contributed to low turn out of their students.
She said school fees had to be increased because, of the need to increase teachers salaries as a result of increase in minimum wage, increase in transport fares, rents and general cost of living.
This Nigeria also gathered that most parents withdrew their wards from school and relocated them to schools near their homes.
This they said is not only to reduce cost of transportation to school but also for security reasons.
For Olarewaju Ojo whose children attended St Aloysius in Garki, said he had to withdraw his children from their former school to a nearby school at Prince and Princess Estate, in Gudu.
Some parents said they still prefer their wards attend private schools that is relatively cheaper and closer to their homes than government schools where the quality of education is low.
Mrs Ngozi Awele said she had to withdraw her daughter from public school because of the constant strike actions by teachers in the schools.
Most of the primary schools in Abuja are under the control of Area Councils like Abuja Municipal Area Council.
This Nigeria also gathered that senior civil servants had to approach their banks for loans before their wards could return to school.
Meanwhile, the catholic Church in Nigeria has said that it will rather pay more attention to quality education than increase school fees.
The church indicated this at the end of their Bishops Conference, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state at the weekend.
In the communique signed by its President Archbishop Lucious Iwejuru Ugorji called on the government at all levels to subsidise education including faith based educational institutions, since according to them is not for profit making.
On his part, Mr umosor Akpogudo, a parent of six said that he is determined to give his children the best education they deserve for posterity sake.
“ For me, no stone will be left unturned if I must train my children despite the biting economy because this is the only way my children will rise to stardom. I don’t even care if I put on one trousers in three years, as I will do everything humanly possible to make sure all of them become university graduates”
For Mrs Joy Bamidele, she is determined and working assiduously to train her children even as a widow notwithstanding.
‘’As a widow, I am even lucky that my late husband left so much inheritance for the family, so I don’t have any reason for my wards not to get the best education despite the high cost of school fees and other necessities.’’
