Education is a fundamental right, but in Nigeria today, it has become an ever-increasing burden on the shoulders of parents and guardians. With the cost of living skyrocketing, parents are being financially drained by the very institutions they entrust with their children’s futures. The exploitation takes various forms, from overpriced textbooks to arbitrary fees imposed in the name of Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) dues and other school-imposed levies.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics reveals that the average cost of education for a single child in private primary and secondary schools can exceed 300,000 naira annually. Among these expenses are mandatory purchases of costly, single-use textbooks. For many parents, this is not merely a financial challenge but a crisis. When you consider that the minimum wage in Nigeria is 30,000 naira per month, the financial strain becomes even clearer. How can families expected to survive on such meager incomes afford the rising costs of education?
The requirement to purchase textbooks that cannot be reused after a single academic year is one of the most blatant forms of extortion. These books often contain exercises that must be completed directly in them, rendering them unusable for younger siblings or in future years. Some textbooks are sold for as much as 8,500 naira, and the cumulative burden of buying these year after year becomes unsustainable for many families. There is no valid educational reason for this practice; it appears to be a deliberate strategy to extract more money from parents.
This issue is compounded when families have more than one child in school. A household with three children could easily spend upwards of 900,000 naira a year on education alone, not including other costs of living. The situation is even more dire for single-parent households or families where only one parent earns an income. In many cases, children are being withdrawn from private schools and enrolled in public schools, which, while ostensibly free, come with their own set of challenges due to underfunding and overcrowding.
Beyond the issue of textbooks, PTA dues are another growing concern. Ostensibly created to foster cooperation between parents and schools, PTA dues have morphed into compulsory levies imposed without transparency. In some schools, these dues range from 20,000 to 50,000 naira annually. Yet, there is little to no transparency regarding how these funds are spent. Parents are often left wondering whether their money is going towards school projects, teacher welfare, or improved student facilities. This lack of accountability further fuels the feeling of exploitation. One frustrated parent from Abuja remarked, “We pay these dues, but we never see any real improvements. Where is all this money going?”
Hidden fees are yet another layer of financial burden for parents. Schools have become increasingly creative in finding ways to impose additional charges, often labeling them as “development fees,” “maintenance fees,” or “ICT fees.” These charges are sometimes introduced unexpectedly, leaving parents with no option but to comply if they want their children to avoid penalties or embarrassment. In one instance, a Lagos school imposed a 10,000-naira “development fee” mid-semester, allegedly to build a new science lab. Parents had already paid a similar fee the previous year for the same purpose, with no explanation of where the money had gone.
Uniform changes present another avenue for financial exploitation. Some schools insist on changing uniforms every academic session, forcing parents to buy new sets even when the old ones are perfectly adequate. This raises questions about who benefits from these frequent changes and why such policies are necessary. The constant demand for new uniforms only adds to the growing financial strain on parents, who are already struggling to keep up with other school-related expenses.
Extracurricular activities, which should be part of a well-rounded education, are now being treated as luxury services, with parents expected to pay extra for them. Fees for sports, music, or drama classes can range from 10,000 to 50,000 naira per term in some private schools an outrageous sum for families already struggling with tuition and other compulsory fees. When did essential activities for child development become optional extras that only a few can afford?
These exploitative practices depicts a larger problem. The unchecked commercialization of education in Nigeria. Schools, particularly private ones, seem to have shifted their focus from educating children to maximizing profits. Education, once a noble mission, has devolved into a profit-driven enterprise where parents are squeezed dry at every turn. The disparity between public and private education widens every day, creating a two-tier system where quality education is increasingly out of reach for the majority.
The Nigerian Ministry of Education must step in to regulate these exploitative practices. Schools should be required to adopt reusable textbooks, ensuring parents get value for their money. PTA dues should only be levied with full transparency and the active consent of parents, while hidden fees must be strictly regulated. Furthermore, a cap on tuition fees for private schools could help control costs and make education more accessible. Extracurricular activities should be integrated into the core curriculum rather than being treated as optional, fee-based services.
It is imperative that Nigerian parents are protected from further financial exploitation. Education should not be a privilege reserved for the wealthy but an affordable right for all. Schools cannot be allowed to operate unchecked, pushing families further into debt while offering little in return. We need regulations that hold schools accountable, ensuring that they focus on the quality of education rather than profits.
The financial burden of education must be alleviated, and this starts with systemic reforms that prioritize students and their families. Parents deserve better, and children deserve an education that is not tainted by greed. If we genuinely care about the future of our children, we must demand a system that values education over profit. It is time to stand up to these exploitative practices and push for reforms that ensure education remains a right, not a luxury.
Stephanie Sewuese Shaakaa
University of Agriculture Makurdi,
Benue state
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