NIGERIA – As primary and secondary schools across Nigeria reopen for a new academic session this September, parents are voicing their angst over rising educational costs.
Already stressed families are feeling the heat intensified by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s decision to remove petrol subsidies barely three months ago.
Jude Nwajei, a tricycle (keke) rider in Asaba, Delta State, is one of many parents contemplating how to finance his children’s education.
“Each time I remember the new fees I am going to pay for my three children, and the fact that there’s no money for that yet, or in the nearest future, I feel I am not meeting my responsibility as a father,” said Nwajei on Friday, September 1, 2023.
The subsidy cut has led to increased fuel prices, impacting everything from the cost of commuting to the price of goods.
For Nwajei, fewer passengers and higher operating costs have slashed his income, making it even harder to afford the new, higher school fees.
“The number of school drop-outs will increase, and we hope this does not lead to an increase in crime in the country,” he warns.
Ben Onyeji, a trader also in Asaba, shares the sentiment, saying he has resolved to change schools for his children.
“The fees are now out of my reach, and I cannot kill myself,” Onyeji stated, suggesting that the government doesn’t consider the welfare of the common man.
In Abuja, Samuel Ogbu, a parent of three, is concerned that increased costs will widen Nigeria’s educational inequality gap.
“We are considering moving them to a government-owned school just outside the estate where we live,” he said.
“To cope with the escalating costs, I have had to cut down on other expenses and sometimes borrow money from friends or family members.”
Awoniyi Salau noted, “Nigeria currently has about 20 million children who are out of school. If the current economic hardship continues, a lot of parents may have to withdraw their children from school to ease the pressure on them.”
In Enugu State, Mr. Mike Nweze, who has four children in schools, stated, “Even when my salary and that of my wife who is a civil servant has not increased by one naira since they removed fuel subsidy, our expenses have continued to stare us in the face.”
Many parents are pleading with the federal and state governments to provide affordable and accessible education options to alleviate the overall economic burden on families.
The proprietor of a private secondary school in Ibadan, Oyo State, told journalists, “As you can see, only a few students are here for summer coaching because of the financial difficulty being experienced by their parents. How is it going to be when the students resume the new session?”
The removal of fuel subsidies, described as “demonic” and “satanic” by some parents, has left families scrambling to meet basic needs while questioning the government’s commitment to education for all.
With fees skyrocketing and wages stagnating, this academic year promises to be a financially grueling period for countless families across Nigeria, casting a shadow over the nation’s educational future.
