School fees hike worries parents

Increase in fees of between 30 and 80 percent is major a source of worry for parents as schools resume from long vacation, Daily Trust reports. Mostly affected are parents whose children attend private schools and the federal government’s unity schools. Parents interviewed insist that fees in the 109 unity schools have risen from N45,000  […]

Increase in fees of between 30 and 80 percent is major a source of worry for parents as schools resume from long vacation, Daily Trust reports.
Mostly affected are parents whose children attend private schools and the federal government’s unity schools.
Parents interviewed insist that fees in the 109 unity schools have risen from N45,000  to N75,000 owing to increase  in charges despite the denial Federal Ministry of Education.
The dire economic situation has made some parents to take desperate steps to keep their children in private schools, Daily Trust has learnt.
Some resort to bank loans or borrow money from relations or friends to pay schools fees or sign undertakings with school authorities to stagger payments.
Parents and guardians in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) said they could no longer cope with rising school fees especially schools that have increased fees by over 80 per cent.
Malam Yakubu Sabo who resides in Federal Housing Estate, Lugbe wondered in spite of the economic hardship some schools have increased fees. 
Sabo said that his business has crumbled as a result of economic recession and that he was contemplating sending his six children to a public school.
 “I can’t pay N45, 000 per child. I was paying N25, 000 per child before but this time around the school has increased fees by about 80%. I think this is not possible”.
Another man, Mr Ezoulu Chika Sunday, in Gwagwalada, said: “Prior to this period, I didn’t have any problem in paying school fees for my two children. I can’t pay their school fees now because my business has closed.
 “If it continues this way, I will withdraw them and send them to a public school.”
Mrs. Morufat Alade, a widow whose children attend unity school in Suleja, condemn the recent increase of boarding fees.
 She said: “Government has increased school fees from N20,000 to N75,000. Where will I get the money to pay this amount for my two children?”
 Mr kolawale Ade, in Abuja said:  “My salary cannot pay for the fees of two children which is about N170,000.
 Speaking, some parents in Jos, the Plateau State capital, said that though most schools have not increased fees, the prices of books which some of the schools insist parents must buy from them, have gone up. 
Ibrahim Hassan, a parent in the Plateau Private School, said that the “the school insists it will provide the books and the prices are outrageous.”
Mrs. Susan Oga, whose son attends Kingdom Heritage Private School, said that the prices of books had increased by over 50% while school fees remain same.
On her part, the Vice Principal of Imperial Secondary School, Ene Agada, said that the schools cannot be blamed for the high prices of books, adding that “a 40 leaves exercise book went from N40 to N70.”
 In Kwara State, the situation is the same. Parents are worried after many schools increased their fees by 20 to 30% while the Eid el-Kabir celebrations are around the corner.
 Some parents resolved to withdraw their children from schools they felt were expensive and send them to those they can afford.
 A parent, Mr Abayomi Adio, who has two children in public school and two others in a private school, said that he does not know how to source for their schools fees.
 “It is not easy in the sense that I am the first child in my house and I must buy Sallah rams for my parents which will cost me a lot,” he said. “My children’s wears for Sallah and their school fees are cause for concern. None of what I mentioned can be done easily and the economy has continued to deteriorate.”
 In Kaduna, too, parents say they face difficulty in paying school fees for their kids, though many schools have not increased fees.
A businessman, Mr Abdullahi Bello, said that he used to pay school fees for his five children before their school re-opens, but this time he hasn’t got money to do so because he is experiencing difficulty in his business.
Another parent, Mr Olutayo Aderemi, said salary earners are the biggest losers of Nigeria’s economic woes because while the costs of almost everything, including school fees, are increased, salaries remain the same.
Aderemi said: “I have three children who are all in primary school and their school fees cost N150,000 while my monthly salary is less than N100,000. Apart from school fees, there is the need for exercise and text books because this is a new session, there may also be need for new school uniforms and bags, especially if the ones they are using before are old. All these require money and the money is not there. Feeding the family three times daily now has become a very difficult task.”
Hajiya Rabbi Ibrahim, whose children attend Turaki International School, said the primary pupils’ fees was increased from N65,000 to N75,000, pointing out that she will now pay N300,000 for her four children and needs to buy books. “The only consolation is that we are getting value for the money we are paying but times are hard now,” she said.
In Kano, parents complain of slight increase in school fees and prices of books. A parent Habib Adamu, said he thinks of changing school for his two daughters because the school they attend increases fees from N20 to N25, per child. 
 A mother, Malama Fatima Adamu, however, said that the school her children attend only increased prices of books, adding: “The school is so insensitive to the problems parents are facing. Instead of them to allow new students to use the books utilised by their siblings, they changed the books completely so that parents are forced to buy for both the new and the old students, this is cheating.”
 In Sokoto State, private schools may witness massive withdrawal of students due to the current economic hardships in the country.
 But, in a similar note, schools’ proprietors lament the cost of running schools because of what they called an “outrageous” increase in the prices of teaching aids.
 Speaking, Malam Magaji, whose children attend one of the private schools in Sokoto, said he contemplates taking them to cheaper school in his hometown because he now finds it difficult to pay N40,000 per child.
 However, the Proprietor of Sahaba Academy, a private school located at Arkilla area in Wamakko local government, Alhaji Ahmed S. Fada, said that owners of schools are also pained by the country’s economic condition. He said that some proprietors cannot pay salary of their teachers for months.
 But parents in Delta State have dissuaded the Kingdom Heritage Model School (KHMS), run by the Living Faith Church (a.k.a. Winners Chapel), from increasing school fees recently.
 A parent in Lagos Mr Rasheed Bisiriyu, said that apart from having to deal with financial expenses of his first child who just gained admission into university, settling school fees of his two other children becomes difficult.
“The senior child attends a federal government college where the fees were suddenly increased recently,” he said. “Now, for tuition, boarding and text book expenses, I will have to spend more than N80,000. We have to spend N200,000 for her junior sister.
 “While we were considering withdrawing her from boarding, we realised there is no immediate alternative. ‎At a time of austerity like this, we have resolved to mark the Sallah low-key while we explore other options, including securing admission for her in another school.”
Anita Godswill, a mother of two who sells second-hand clothes in  Agege area of Lagos State, said that she will withdraw her child from a private school.
Mr kolawale Ade, in Abuja said:  “My salary cannot pay for the fees of two children which is about N170,000.