When schools vacated in July, some parents, particularly those whose children are in public schools, heaved a sigh of relief; at least, they have a long holiday to rest from daily expenses.
But the supposedly rest turned more hustling for most parents whose children are in private schools because of the increasing financial burden ahead of the new academic session, come September.
The schools are not smiling again, as one parent puts it. At the close of the session in July, schools handed over to parents the results of their children, and most importantly, the prospectus for the new academic session, featuring among others, a staggering increment in fees, in most cases.
“My headache is not the 30 percent increment in school fees, and other hidden fees being charged, but the ultimatum by the school to pay on or before August 30th to secure classes for my two daughters,” Emeka Ashibogwu, a parent, cried out.
Fuming at what he described as insensitivity of current realities and callousness by the school management, Ashibogwu, a lawyer, lamented further that some of the increments are indirect extortion by the schools and should be probed.
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“I confronted the school owner and she explained that the high fees are necessary to keep the school gate open, pay teachers, maintain the facilities and provide daily learning aids.
“But she forgot that we parents are close to some teachers, who are also parents. The teachers are not paid well, the Parents Teachers Association often sponsors projects here, the owners obtain loans in disguise for the school, but for private use, among other sharp practices.
“The Lagos Ministry of Education should probe some of these expensive private schools, what are they using the money for, when quality is still lacking?” he said.
Also decrying the huge financial burden posed by the new academic session, Aduni Fakeye, a mother of three and a small-scale entrepreneur, lamented that the situation is no longer win-win for the parents and schools, like before.
According to her, the schools care only about money and if you complain, they will point you to schools in Abuja, Lekki and Ikoyi, where parents pay in Dollars.
“It is sad. I know that my children are going to new classes and more fees are to be paid, but not additional N70,000 on school fees paid last session, additional N40,000 on books, additional N30,000 on games, N60,000 for school bus, from N35,000 and increment on everything. Now, I have a bill of N465,700 to pay before September 2nd in one school for two children and N185,000 to pay in another one by the first week in September. The private schools are squeezing us unnecessarily,” Fakeye lamented.
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Fakeye, a baker, noted that over five bakeries around the Isolo-Ikotun axis in Lagos, have closed down in the last three years due to the harsh economy, but that schools are always open because of all manner of fees they charge and extortions from struggling parents, who do not want to be ridiculed for not sending their children to school.
“The bakeries closed because patronage couldn’t sustain their operations, but schools are not closing down because parents will not allow their children to waste at home when their mates are in school. I will rather borrow to keep my children in school,” she said.
Speaking on the win-win situation that gave parents a breathing space in the past, Fakeye decried that most private schools now insist that books must be paid along with the school fees, instead of allowing parents to buy them cheaper at bookshops and are now making some expensive excursions compulsory for the students.
“I have checked the prices of most of the books for the new session and discovered that I can use half of that money charged by the school to buy them at the open market. I pleaded, the school management refused, but that would have cut down the huge expenses. Again, I am paying for an expensive excursion for one of the daughters this coming session and the school said it is compulsory,” she lamented.
Like they say, the rich also cry! Yes, Julius Ebirima, a senior engineer with the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), is also not very happy with the huge increment in fees by a Port Harcourt GRA-based private school his children attend.
Though he can afford the fees, he thinks that they are unnecessarily high if adjusted with the current inflationary trend.
“From N250,000 per term to N400,000 is not justifiable. I know that parents are paying already, but some will withdraw their children because of the harsh economy.
“I welcome an increment to meet operation cost, but it is becoming extortion by some private school owners. They know themselves and are making education unnecessarily expensive,” he observed.
But the headache for Onche Obekpa, an Abuja-based civil servant, is the fact that there are many bills to pay this September and the money is not there.
“My DStv subscription has long expired and for the first time, my children are not bothered because I am battling to pay their new session school fees, which are high and a recently increased house rent, and both must be settled this September.
“The pressure is mounting and the money is not there, even the increased minimum wage does not make sense, people, especially relatives, do not lend money again. So, I have resolved to take it easy, the alternative would be to move my children to government schools here in Gwagwalada and to wait for the landlord’s quit notice, at least the court will give me six months,” Obekpa said.
Many parents today are in a similar situation with Obekpa, with bills mounting, yet no money to pay.
“The bills are much, no money and the little we get goes to feeding. You know how expensive food items are now, yet landlords are not smiling here in Lagos, and then, schools add to burden with fee hikes every term.
“My son’s school proprietress insulted me this August. She told me to go and open my own school when I asked for the breakdown of the fees for the new session, because it was double the fees paid last year. I am taking my son to another school, which is even cheaper with better standards,” Akachukwu Uwandu, an Aba-based business owner, said.
Sadly, the increment cuts across all fees, with most patents questioning the rationale, from basic tuition fees, uniforms, books, sports, cultural day, end-of-year party, excursion, bus fare, book fair, ICT/coding, and many others.
But, is there no way out, if one may ask.
In line with Obekpa, Fakaye suggested that parents should look out for good government schools to save the cost.
She also thinks that quality is not all about private schools as many public schools are beating private ones in educational contests around the country.
“We need to change our psychology and shaming of public schools as poor standards, there are good ones. The teachers there are good, it is just the little enforcement of commitment to their duties that we need.
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Students from public schools still get admissions into universities even abroad,” she said.
Ebirima thinks sending children to expensive private schools has become a status symbol for some Nigerians and the schools know and are taking advantage of it.
“Private schools are competing for the most expensive school in town, and this is obvious with the hike in fees this new session. But they do that because parents think that the more expensive a school is, the better the standard. That is a lie,” Ebirima cleared the air.
For him, parents who cannot afford the high fees should withdraw their children to schools they can afford as what matters most is that they went to school.
“No matter the foreign university you attended, you must meet those from state universities at the law school. Nigerian Society of Engineers welcomes evert engineer as long as you are trained and certified to practice. The university you attended does not matter again, but your useful input. Parents should focus on skills and not on the expensive schools because skills are what employers of labour are looking for. Just send your children to schools you can afford,” he advised.
To cut on the high fees, Uwandu is not paying for the school bus in his son’s new school.
“I got him a school closer home; he will walk for 10 minutes to the school. I have saved on school bus fares,” he said.
However, the schools are defending the hike in fees.
“We all know how prices are increasing every day. Our suppliers, from books, uniforms, and other learning materials notified us earlier on their new rates and advised us to adjust accordingly,” Eniola Akintunde, a Lagos private school proprietress explained.
The hike, according to her, is a reflection of the harsh economy.
“We are still expanding our school and that requires money, some schools run on rented properties, we pay to the government for renewals and authoritisations, and we must pay staff salaries every month, whether school is on holiday or not,” she said further.
A senior management staff of private secondary school at Jakande Estate, Oke-Afa, Isolo, Lagos, who pleaded for anonymity, noted that the school is among the best in terms of standard in Lagos Mainland, yet the fees are very affordable.
“When people say private schools are very expensive, they should also point to some that offer quality standards and yet charge affordable fees.
“Our parents enjoy the school because the students perform excellently year-on-year, teachers are quality and we pay them very well, there is discipline and we have been committed to enforcing it all the time. So, separate us from those you call extortionists and less standards,” she said.
