Parents groan over hike in school fees as inflation bites

Many dad and mom and guardians throughout Nigeria are groaning over the latest faculty payment hike within the costs of major, secondary and tertiary schooling throughout the nation amid accelerating inflation.

Joseph Nwankwo, a businessman with youngsters in each secondary faculty and College mentioned the fact of the excessive price of residing is that there’s a multiplier impact on all the pieces together with faculty charges, books, uniforms, boarding charges, meals and different gadgets.

“I’ve a baby in one of many top-notch secondary colleges in Lagos. I obtained a letter from the varsity that my little one’s payment is now N1.2 million as towards N500,000 we had been paying earlier than,” he mentioned.

“That is simply ridiculous, the place do I begin from, the elder brother is within the college, and we’re but to know their new payment,” he added.

Endurance Ajayi, a public servant bemoaned the scenario as in line with her, all the pieces is getting out of hand.

“My daughter’s faculty payment has elevated from N26,000 to N34,000 and I’m but to know the price of books, uniforms and different equipment,” she mentioned.

“The opposite day, I used to be available in the market to purchase a meals flask since her previous one has spoiled, and I used to be instructed the worth is now N13,000 towards N4,500 (over 200 % improve) it was earlier than.

“In truth, the entire thing is driving one loopy, how will one deal with this devastating state of affairs the place the costs of meals gadgets, transport, and different each day wants are surging, whereas wage stays fixed,” she queried.

Additionally, Adekunle Oguntimehin, whose son is in one of many high notch personal colleges in Jakande Property at Isolo suburban mentioned that undoubtedly, the sudden skyrocketing of petroleum value because of the subsidy removing has resulted in price surge.

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“The inflation has ballooned the price of meals gadgets, transportation, electronics to say however few. In SMA Faculty the place my son attends, the varsity payment has not modified from what it was two years in the past.

“Nevertheless, dad and mom whose youngsters are within the terminal class (JSS3 and SSS3) are compelled to pay for the exterior examinations similar to WAEC and NECO together with the varsity charges.

“This finally resulted in a few one hundred pc improve within the fee made to the varsity,” he mentioned.

“We’re all minimising our price in order to have the ability to accommodate regardless of the improve could also be,” he added.

Charity Inyang, one other mom whose daughter is in Queens Faculty, Lagos mentioned the varsity administration has elevated the payment from N35,000 to N150,000, (over 400 %) whereas books and PTA payment elevated from N7,000 to N15,000.

Equally, Reuben Ikoriko, a civil servant, decried the unfriendly financial challenges confronted by Nigerians.

“Weekly, I spend greater than N10,000 on transport from my home to Victoria Island as a result of I can’t afford to gas my automobile going by the prevailing petrol pump value.

“Yesterday, my spouse knowledgeable me that my son’s faculty has elevated the payment from N50,000 to N120,000 excluding the bus payment and different concomitant levies.

“I couldn’t even summon the braveness to take a look at the memo from the varsity as a result of if I do, the place is the cash to foot the invoice. I’m simply overwhelmed with the scenario,” he lamented.

Emmanuel Oluwadare, a public servant confirmed that his youngsters’s charges have been elevated by the assorted colleges.

“Sure, the youngsters’s faculty charges have been elevated. The one in major faculty, the payment is elevated from N25,000 to N35,000; the one in secondary faculty from N30,000 to N45,000, whereas the one in public college the payment elevated from N60,000 to N80,000,” he mentioned.

The pump value of premium motor spirit, popularly known as petrol, was raised from N537 to N617 at some filling stations operated by the Nigerian Nationwide Petroleum Firm Restricted (NNPCL) just lately.

Consequently, this erratic value change is affecting just about each different sphere of human endeavours throughout the nation.

In response to the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest report, “Nigeria’s annual inflation charge rose to 22.79 % in June from 22.41 % within the earlier month.”

The meals inflation charge in June 2023 was 25.25 % on a 12 months – on 12 months foundation; this was 4.65 % factors larger relative to the speed recorded in 2022.