Nigerian households are facing severe financial strain ahead of the September school resumption, as school operators pass rising operational costs from surging diesel prices and rent to teacher retention, onto parents through astronomical fee hikes.
A recent BusinessDay survey of 140 parents across the country reveals that 85.7 percent (120 respondents) reported tuition increases for the upcoming academic term. While 57.1 percent of affected parents noted that management offered staggered payment plans, many schools are enforcing rigid “no payment, no entry” policies.
Parents who spoke with BusinessDay said some schools increased their fees by more than 40 percent, not considering the harsh economic crunch and the challenges of living in Nigeria.
A parent whose child is in Honeyland School said the fees have been increased from N350,000 to N500,00 (43 percent) for primary, and N550,000 to N720, 000 (31 percent) for secondary school cadre.
In Kembos Schools, the fees rose from N340,000 to N500,000 (47 percent), while Yems Montessori School increased its fees from N100,000 to N120,000 (20 percent) for the nursery level. Another school also increased its fees from N210,000 to N325,000 (55 percent), and parents are expected to pay before September resumption.
Theresa Onye, a mother of three, said her children’s fees were increased from N145,000 to over N200,000. The reason for the increase, she said, is that the school wants to improve the welfare of the teachers and mitigate the high cost of books and other learning materials.
“I’m currently in a dilemma because my husband is out of work; no business at the moment.
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“I really don’t know what to do; the school gave a stern ‘no payment, no entry’ policy and doesn’t accommodate part payment,” she narrated.
Another parent whose child attends Binard School said he was asked to pay N375,000 as against N280,000 last term, a sum which he described as worrisome.
School operators maintain that these fee adjustments are unavoidable structural responses to severe operational inflation. Persistent grid instability has forced heavy reliance on expensive alternative energy, while commercial rents, municipal levies, and general facility maintenance continue to escalate.
Iyabo Nnokam, a school owner in Rivers State, said many schools are on the verge of winding up because of the rising costs of running a school business, which makes it difficult to avoid fees increasing from time to time.
“It’s difficult for those on rent; landlords keep increasing rent, believing schools make a lot of money.
“Running costs have become so high, teachers’ salaries, fuelling the generators, repairs and maintenance, among others, besides the government levies,” she said.
Elizabeth Ohaka, the proprietress at Redwood Academy, Lagos, said, “The environment is not friendly at all to school business owners. With overhead costs on a high, teacher scarcity and an insecurity crisis, it is tough navigating the path of school business.”
The financial pressure is further compounded by additional charges, particularly transportation and mandatory instructional materials. Following consecutive spikes in fuel pump prices, school bus fares have nearly doubled in major urban centers.
Linus Nwadike, a parent, said he paid N90,000 for his two children’s bus fare last term, but the new price is N130,000 in addition to the tuition fees.
“I don’t even know what to do now; the house rent is there. It is really frustrating for me; however, the children must go to school,” she said.
Roseline Imoh, another parent who resides at Apple Junction, Festac, said her son’s bus fare is now N117,000 as against N60,000 last term.
“The school has also increased exercise books price; we paid N700 per one last term, but the new price is N1,000 each, and the rule is that all assignments must be done with the school’s branded exercise books.
“However, we are free to buy the textbooks from the open market, though I’m yet to buy,” she noted.
Joel Ibidapo, a parent, told BusinessDay that he paid N45,000 for uniform, N50,000 for books and N110,000 for bus last term, while the new uniform increased to N50,000, the exercise books price remains the same, as the bus fare is now N130,000, though he explained that textbooks are usually bought in the open market, if he does not have them.
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For Ayo Teju, another parent, there is a linear increase in the fees. “The cost for complete uniform remains N65,000 inclusive of footwears, the boarding fees is still N480,000, while the bus fare from my location to the school is now N100,000 as against N80,000 last term.
“Cost of books changed from N35,000 to N40,000 because she is resuming SS3,” he said.
Robert Iniama, said that his child’s fees were increased from N65,000 to N85,000 textbooks inclusive, while the bus fare was increased from N12,000 to N25,000.
Adekunle Oguntimehin, a parent, said the fee increase is disturbing and frustrating.
“The reality is that in many homes, parents are borrowing, trekking, cutting corners, just to keep their children in class. Not because school is easy, but because we believe education is the only way out.
“We understand that schools also have bills to pay, but we are pleading: let there be a balance; give parents payment plans to reduce the burden,” he said.
Public policy analysts warn that unmanageable private school fees could trigger a mass migration of students into an already overstretched public education system.
Wale Olaoye, a public affairs analyst, emphasised that many indigent students are likely going to move in droves to public schools. This, he decried, will affect their learning culture and quality.
Olaoye expressed worries that the fee increase might force parents to resort to borrowing, while some other parents may sell off their valuables to raise their children’s school fees.
“If many students move out of private schools, their incomes will also go down. They will have problems with paying their staff and may in turn lead to loss of quality teachers. This will also negatively affect the quality of learning in private schools,” he noted.
Friday Erhabor, director of media and strategies at Marklenez Limited, believes the government should step in to ameliorate the burdens of parents.
“The government at various levels needs to step in with paliatives in the form of bursaries for students. School management is not to blame. As costs escalate, they must find a way to mitigate it,” he said.
“Increasing financial pressure on parents would indirectly affect students, such as lacking extracurricular activities, educational materials, or even adequate nutrition, which can impact concentration and learning. If families cannot meet the fee requirements, students might face the disruption of changing schools, which would affect their academic progress and social well-being,” Kayode Afolayan, a schoolteacher said.
