As schools across Nigeria reopen for the new academic year, parents are grappling with the escalating cost of education, compounded by the relentless pressure of inflation. With school fees surging and the cost of essentials like uniforms, textbooks, and transportation skyrocketing, many families are facing an overwhelming financial strain. What was once a routine back-to-school season has now become a significant source of stress for households nationwide.
The recent hike in school fees has left many questioning how they will afford to provide their children with quality education. Parents, already burdened by Nigeria’s economic uncertainty, are making tough decisions, cutting non-essential expenses to prioritize education. Families are redirecting their budgets, sacrificing vacations, social events, and even healthcare, in a bid to keep their children in school. Some have resorted to taking out loans or seeking financial assistance from relatives. Others, unable to cope with the rising costs, have moved their children to more affordable schools, though this often compromises the quality of education.
For parents like Mrs. Joana, the situation is dire. She recently expressed her frustration after her daughter’s university tuition skyrocketed from 500,000 Naira to an alarming 1,100,000 Naira. She criticized the sudden and unjustified increase, which came without prior notice or explanation from the university’s management, leaving many families in shock. Mrs. Joana, like many others, decried the unreasonable hike, particularly in a time of rising living costs, which has made affording education an enormous challenge.
With children’s futures at risk, many parents are now calling on the government to step in and provide relief. Proposed solutions include financial aid for low-income families and more aggressive efforts to control inflation. Without meaningful intervention, the education crisis in Nigeria may worsen, endangering the academic prospects of countless students.
While parents are demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of these challenges, government action is urgently needed. Immediate reforms from both the government and educational institutions are essential to ease the financial burden on families and protect the right of every Nigerian child to quality education.
Written By; Christopher Emuakpeje
Edited by: Chris Odjomah