BY ROSEMARY NWAEBUNI
‘’I tried everything I could, working extra hours, borrowing from friends, but it was never enough. I had to choose between feeding my children and paying their school fees. I am now making arrangements to transfer my children to a cheaper school this session to ease the burden, as I cannot cope with the sudden 30 per cent hike in school fees last session”, lamented Obiageli Okoro, a single mother of two.
Sunday Eze, a father of four, recounted his own ordeal. ‘’Every term, the school sends a reminder about fees. I feel ashamed when I cannot pay on time. Sometimes my children are sent home, and they cry because they do not want to miss classes. I don’t know what to do this session”, he lamented.
Benard Ochuko, a widower with three children in a private secondary school, revealed that he had to sell some of his belongings to ensure his children returned to school this session, following the increase in fees and other requirements. ‘’I sold some of the things I cherished most just so I could pay their fees and buy the books they needed,’’ he submitted.
The familiar plaints expressed by the trio above reflect the grief parents and guardians come to as a result of the increasing and insupportable financial burden imposed on them by school authorities through incessant increases in school fees, cost of books, uniforms, school bus services, transportation, graduation party levies, summer class fees and the like.
Whereas resumption of a new school session after a long holiday exudes excitement among pupils and students alike, it is, however, a period of worry, anxiety and exhilarating experience for most Nigerian parents and guardians, especially in recent times. This is partly the result of the worsening economic crisis in the country, marked by diminishing income value engendered by historic inflation, depreciation of the naira, high unemployment and rising poverty.
The importance of education to a nation cannot be overemphasised. It is indeed one of the basic criteria for measuring the growth and development of countries. This accounts for why several nations of the world not only list education among the fundamental human rights of their citizens but also prioritise education through adequate funding, engagement of qualified teachers, motivation of both teaching and non-teaching staff and ensuring a conducive learning environment for pupils and students.
Sadly, and most unfortunately, the quality and standard of education in Nigeria have continued to plummet over the years. This fall in standard can be attributed to factors such as inadequate funding, leading to poor infrastructure and a dearth of learning materials; overcrowding of classrooms; shortage of qualified and motivated teachers, leading to poor learning outcomes; widespread corruption on the part of managers of the education system; lack of modern teaching aids; poor student attitudes towards learning and inconsistent education policies.
Beyond these issues, which collectively create an unconducive learning environment that hinders effective teaching and assimilation of knowledge, there are high dropout rates, academic fraud, and a lack of practical and qualitative skills needed by students entering today’s modern workforce.
The burden of children’s education in Nigeria is more on parents and guardians whose children and wards are in private schools, which are more profit-oriented. Most parents enrol their children in private schools due to the falling quality of public education across the country.
Nigeria’s education system is organised into a 9-3-4 structure, which consists of nine years of Basic Education (six years of primary and three years of junior secondary); three years of Senior Secondary Education; and four or more years of Tertiary Education (higher education). In Nigeria, a child progresses from basic and senior secondary levels by passing examinations like the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), a prerequisite to pursue higher education in universities, polytechnics or colleges of education, with degree programs lasting four to six years.
Nigeria’s education system consists of both government-funded public schools (primary, secondary and tertiary) and privately owned schools. While public schools generally offer free or low-cost tuition, private schools charge fees much higher than those of public schools. Government, however, regulates both systems through the Federal Ministry of Education or State Ministry of Education, as the case may be, to ensure adherence to government educational policies.
In terms of funding and control, public schools are funded and operated by governments at the federal, state and local levels. Although public primary and lower secondary are meant to be tuition-free and compulsory, unofficial and arbitrary charges imposed on parents by operators of public schools have added to their financial burden.
Public schools often face more of the challenges enumerated above, including high student-teacher ratios, underinvestment, lack of educational facilities and poor monitoring, which can negatively impact the quality of learning.
On the other hand, private schools are privately funded and operated independently of government’s control; typically charge fees, making them more accessible to families with higher incomes; offer diverse options for parents seeking alternatives to public education; generally, perform better in terms of input availability and teacher competency; they arguably provide higher quality of education due to better teacher resources and facilities.
Private schools equally have their own dose of challenges, including funding and financial sustainability; heavy reliance on tuition fees, making them vulnerable to financial instability if fees are not collected on time; limited access to government grants and loans; rising operational costs, including utility prices and teachers’ salaries; stiff competition from other private schools; and changing curricula; inadequate enrolment due to high fees; inability to attract and retain qualified teachers due to demand for better salaries; high parental expectations; high cost of acquiring adequate physical facilities and up to date equipment.
Most of the hues, cries and gnashing of teeth on account of the increasing cost of education in Nigeria are more from parents of average income threshold, particularly those whose children and wards are in private schools. This is because, despite the high cost of private schools relative to public schools, most parents still prefer to send their children to private schools.
A 2023 survey by IIM-Ahmedabad found that 70 per cent of families with more than one child chose to send at least one child to private schools, citing the lack of trust in government schools. Many parents are willing to spend 35 per cent of their income on private education, with some even taking loans to afford it.
The reasons some parents prefer private schools over public schools, despite the high cost implications, are varied: the desire for higher academic standards for their children; more personalised attention and a wider range of extra-curricular activities offered by private schools; optimal class size; and the offering of a tailored learning experience. Again, in the Nigerian society, people gauge the socio-economic status of parents by the type of schools their children attend, whether private or public and also the expensive nature of the schools.
Considerable efforts are being made by the Delta State Government to improve education through infrastructure upgrade, funding for basic education and a focus on technology and modern curriculum. Such efforts include building and renovating classrooms, investing in ICT centres and providing instructional materials to ensure students have access to quality and functional education.
The administration of Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori is also implementing policies aimed at providing functional and affordable education in the state, while at the same time checking the unwholesome activities of school operators, especially Headmasters and Principals who impose illegal charges on pupils and students. These unapproved fees ultimately place more burden on parents who are already contending with the challenges engendered by a debilitating economy.
