- Parents, guardians lament high cost of reading materials, others as schools resume
- They attribute the economic hardship to fuel subsidy removal by Tinubu government
- Edo state government postpones school resumption indefinitely over fuel price hike
It is now less than two weeks into the resumption of students for another academic year across Nigeria.
Investigations by WITHIN NIGERIA showed that frustration, pains and pressure are already written on the face of millions of parents and guardians following the seemingly uncontrollable increase in prices of school materials in preparations for resumption for the 2024/2025 academic year.
In any case, stakeholders in the industry believe that the education sector in Nigeria is so much affected by the current economic crisis confronting the nation with attendant high cost of living.
However, the frustration of many parents, it was gathered, stems from the fact that proprietors of schools across all levels, cashing in on the galloping inflation, have increased their tuition and imposed multiple charges and levies payable by students on resumption.
Besides, parents of students who are in the final year in Secondary Schools have to contend with registration for public examinations conducted by West African Examination Council (WAEC), National Examination Council (NECO) and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).
By and large, for the new students, parents will have to provide them with new uniforms, sandals, accommodation arrangements, textbooks, clothes, provisions and foodstuffs, which has now been greatly affected by inflation. Some parents, who also revealed that they still owe part of last session school fees of their wards, are also not resting to see that they clear the debt before resumption.
The situation is said to be made worse in the South East zone as many of whom depend on their business for the training of their children and wards are currently facing low business patronage due to economic hardship.
School proprietors hike school fees
Findings by our reporter showed that many private schools have hiked their fees by at least thirty percent.
In a chat with our reporter, one of the parents, Simon Nwachukwu whose child is a student of one of the most popular missionary Secondary schools in Nsukka told our reporter that it is very unbearable for him this time around.
According to Mr. Nwachukwu, it is very unfortunate that the management of the school will hike school fees at this critical time when many families are findings it very difficult to feed.
“I didn’t expect that the management of the school will hike the fees at this critical moment. Many families are findings it difficult to feed. Last year, we were paying N70,000 for school fees. But this year, they texted us that we will be paying N110,000. It is very unfortunate.
“Where do they want us to get the remaining money. We were even lamenting that we don’t know how to get the money to pay N70,000 but we didn’t know that they will hike the fees.”
Francis Nwodo is a parent with three children at a popular private secondary school in Enugu.
According to Mr. Nwodo, “the management of my children’s school sent me a circular, informing me of increase of school fees from N120,000 to N200,000 per term.
“Last year, we paid N120,000 and lamented so much not knowing that the worse is yet to come. I am currently thinking of pulling them out of that school and taking them to more economical one. But my fear is that they may not meet up academically.”
Lamenting further, Mr. Nwodo stated that, “I am a pensioner. I worked with Enugu state Universal Basic Education Board, ENSUBEB. We are being owed more than one year pension as I speak with you now. My wife is a primary school teacher and till this moment, they have not received their August salary. It is very difficult for civil servants here in this part of the world.”
Our reporter visits bookshops/
When our reporter visited some bookshops in the state particularly at Ogbete Main market, Enugu, there is a tale of astronomical increase in the price of education materials.
A dozen of 60 leaves which hitherto sold at N2500 is now N3300 while that of 40 leaves which was N2000 is now N2500. Also prices of textbooks have also increased by more than 30%.
One of the books sellers, Godwin Agu who spoke to our reporter said that the price increase is as a result of high cost of production and transportation of the materials.
According to Mr. Agu, “ one of the greatest challenges we have in this business is transportation. Everyday, we hear a different thing about transportation. Now that fuel is sold at N1200 per litre, prices of materials will still have to go up again. Remember most of our books are not produced here but at Onitsha and Lagos, so you can imagine how the hike in fuel price will affect the price.”
Also at clothing material shops, one of the sellers who spoke to our reporter lamented the high cost of materials.
“At the moment, we are experiencing low patronage. By this time about two years ago, we were busy attending to customers, especially parents who wanted to change their children’s school uniforms. But this year is worst. Every parent wants their children to manage the ones they have because of harsh economic situation in the country.”
On the cost of clothing materials, the seller stated that “there is actually high cost of materials especially this past one month. In fact, every month, the price of these materials changes. They cannot be stable for three consecutive months. It is disheartening and unfortunate but that is the situation in which we have found ourselves in this country.”
Hike in transportation fare
Another headache parents and guardians have to contend with in the new session is the rising cost of transportation precipitated by sudden increase in the price of petrol.
Findings by WITHIN NIGERIA reporter showed that places which were charged between N200 and N250 as transport fare now dangle between N300 and N350.
One of the parents who spoke to our reporter explained that “before now, I was paying N200 each for my children’s transport fare. But now that it is N300, I will withdraw them from the school and put them in a nearby one. I can’t afford N1800 everyday for their transportation alone. It is very heavy on me.”
However, on Saturday, September 7, 2024, the Edo state government announced indefinite postponement of schools in the state.
The state government, on Saturday, announced the indefinite postponement of the resumption of all schools in the state following the hike in fuel prices.
The resumption of both public and private schools, earlier scheduled for Monday, September 9, 2024, was postponed until further notice due to the tension caused by the recent hike in fuel prices and the challenges faced by parents and guardians.
In a memo signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, of the state, Ojo Akin-Longe, the state government said the postponement was necessary to douse the tension on the fuel crisis.
The memo reads, “The Edo State Government hereby announces the postponement of the resumption of all public and private schools in Edo State, originally scheduled for Monday, 9th September 2024, until further notice.
“An official statement from the government has directed that schools remain closed due to the tension arising from the recent increase in fuel prices and the challenges faced by parents and guardians.
“The government urges parents, guardians, and caregivers to monitor the activities of their children and wards closely, given the current situation and the rising tension caused by the fuel price hike.”