Joe Ogini
Schools; primary, secondary and tertiary institutions of education resume today. Monday, the 4th of September, throwing most parents in a dilemma over what to do with their children and wards and how to face the challenges before them in view of the harsh economic condition in the country.
Undoubtedly, the rising cost of living has plunged most parents and household below the poverty line. Some families can barely afford the basics in these trying times; just as many parents and breadwinners are without jobs while those with jobs even their take home pay can no longer provide the basic necessities for their families. This has thrust a lot of parents into depression as they struggle to make ends meet.
With the schools resuming today, some children may find themselves at home while their peers go to school, as their parents and guardians try to figure out the best way out of the quagmire – whether to continue with the school or look for another, either cheaper private school, with more proximity to the house or seek for admission for their children/wards to a public school with all their attendant faults.
This is more so, as most private school operators increase fees by over 300 per cent, raising fears that many children will drop out of school; thus adding to the already high number of out-of-school children which the United Nations International Children’s Educational Fund, UNICEF, put at a little below 20million in Nigeria alone.
Given the significant increase in transportation, feeding, books and other sundry items and rise in the general cost of living occasioned by the removal of oil subsidy by the federal government, schools with boarding facilities have seemingly become too expensive and beyond the reach of most parents.
These schools claim that the increment is unavoidable as they have to pay more for these services in order to maintain standards.
The Federal Government set the ball rolling when they announced a substantial review of school fees in the Unity Colleges. The fees increased from N45,000 to N100,000, a change that will affect all aspects and activities of the schools, including tuition, boarding, uniforms, textbooks, and more.
In a directive from the office of the Director of Senior Secondary Education Department of the ministry and addressed to all principals of Federal Unity Colleges, students are expected to pay N100, 000 instead of the previous N45, 000.The rising costs of living and operations are limiting access to education and beyond the reach of many parents. While many are already considering the option of enrolling their wards in public schools, others will be adding to the out-of-school group,
Experts have, however, warned that increasing school fees may further deepen Nigeria’s educational crisis.
Chief Executive Officer of the UK charity, IA-Foundation, Mrs. Ibironke Adeagbo, has warned that increasing tuition in Nigerian universities could compound the crisis plaguing the country’s education sector.
Speaking against the backdrop of increase in fees by some universities in the country, at the Nigeria Global Economic Summit Overview held in Abuja recently, Adeagbo said a country currently having some 20.2 million out-of-school children should have no business increasing fees.
She said that increasing fees of any sort should not be an option, until Nigeria comes out of the woods and is able to put every child in school, the Guardian reports.
“The increment in tuition in Unity Schools is unacceptable because it can lead to more children dropping out of school,” Adeagbo said, calling on the Federal Government to take measures to ensure every Nigerian child acquires basic education.
“The government should also introduce regulatory measures urgently and compel private schools to curb unnecessary demands on parents, such as paying expensive fees for uniforms and related items. The government also needs to reduce financial entry barriers into public schools as thousands of families cannot even afford to pay basic enrollment fees.”
According to her, the government needs to stay true to its promise of free basic education for all. Adeagbo said Nigeria should improve education standards in public schools and introduce strategic communication measures to address prevailing negative notions about education in public schools.
Despite all the hues and cries, schools have begun a fresh academic session, and it remains to be seen what the government intends to do to ameliorate the plight of citizens and how and when they intend to do it. Until then, parents will have to decide what is best for their children and wards within the confines of the economic realty.
With additional reports from the Guardian