By Ifunanya Ezeanyanaso

As schools across Nigeria have resumed for a new academic session, many parents are under the financial strain occasioned by the hike in the price of petrol. Therefore, many parents are struggling to cope with the escalating cost of education.

Transportation, school supplies, and even tuition have been impacted, as schools and service providers pass on their increased operational costs to parents.

In Lagos, a bustling metropolis where many parents depend on private vehicles or public transportation to get their children to school, the situation is particularly dire. Mrs. Adebayo, a mother of two, lamented the high cost of commuting.

“I used to spend about ¦ 20,000 monthly on fuel to take my children to school. Now, I’m spending close to ¦ 60,000,” she said. “We can’t keep up with this; it’s becoming a struggle just to keep them in school.”

For those relying on public transportation, the situation is not better. Okadas (motorcycles) and danfo buses (commercial vehicles) have tripled their fares in major cities. 

In Abuja, Mr. David, a civil servant, expressed frustration. “The daily commuting to drop my kids off at school now costs me N1,500, compared to N500 just last year. My salary hasn’t changed, but everything else has gone up. We are feeling the pinch deeply.”

School fees hike and rising educational costs

In addition to transportation cost, the resumption of the 2024 school year has brought higher tuition fees across board. Many private schools have implemented steep fee hikes to compensate for increased costs of operation, from fuel for generators to transportation for staff. Private schools, which cater to a large portion of the middle class, have adjusted their tuition fees, leaving many parents wondering how they will make ends meet.

“I was shocked when I got the invoice for my children’s school fees,” said Mrs. Adeyemi, a parent from Ibadan. “The fees went up by almost 70%, and they didn’t even warn us ahead of time. They say it’s because of fuel prices and the general inflation in the country. But who is going to help us parents? We can’t just print money.”

Public schools, while less expensive, are also facing challenges. Increased demand, as more parents pull their children from private institutions due to rising fees, is putting a strain on the public school system. Crowded classrooms, a lack of basic facilities, and teacher shortages are making it difficult for students to receive quality education.

In Lagos, Mr. Sunday, who moved his two children from a private school to a public one, expressed concern. “I had no choice but to take them to a government school because I couldn’t afford the private school fees anymore. But the classrooms are overcrowded, and I worry that the quality of education will suffer.”

High price of school supplies

The price increases have not been limited to school fees and transportation alone. Parents are also struggling to afford school supplies, from uniforms to textbooks and stationery, all of which have become more expensive due to higher production and transportation costs. Importers of educational materials have cited fuel prices as the reason for the sharp rise in prices.

“I went to the school to buy school uniforms, but everything was so expensive,” said Mrs. Uche from Enugu. “Even second-hand uniforms were costly. I had to buy fewer exercise books this year because I couldn’t afford all the supplies on the school’s list. It’s heartbreaking when you can’t provide everything your child needs to succeed in school.”

Coping strategies: Parents band together

Despite the financial difficulties, many parents are finding ways to cope with the situation. Carpooling has become increasingly common, as parents form small groups to share the cost of fuel and transportation for school runs. In some areas, community groups and local Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) have started organizing bulk purchases of school supplies to help reduce costs for individual families.

“We started a carpool in our estate where four parents take turns dropping and picking up the kids,” said Mrs. Nwafor from Port Harcourt. “It’s not perfect, but it’s helping us save some money on transport. We have to stick together in times like this.”

In addition, some parents are lobbying schools to offer flexible payment plans, allowing them to pay fees in installments rather than a lump sum. Several schools have responded positively to these requests, but many remain reluctant due to their own financial pressures.

Government response and palliatives

The Nigerian government has implemented several palliative measures aimed at cushioning the effects of the fuel subsidy removal, but many parents feel these efforts are inadequate. Cash transfers, designed to provide temporary relief to vulnerable households, have not reached many families, and those who do receive them say the amounts are too small to make a meaningful difference in covering educational expenses.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts, but what we really need are long-term solutions,” said Mr. Okeke, a parent from Anambra State. “Education is one of the most important investments in the future of this country. They should prioritize making schooling more affordable, whether through subsidies for educational materials or tax breaks for schools.”

 The Minister of Education Prof. Tahir Mamman, has promised to engage with stakeholders to find ways to ease the burden on parents, but concrete action has yet to materialize. 

While giving an update on the student loan scheme, he revealed that the disbursement of funds to students and institutions has commenced and stakeholder engagement for the take-off is ongoing. According to him, so far, 297,179 students have registered, 27,667 students have been paid and N2, 946,927,155.00 have been disbursed to students and institutions.

A difficult road ahead

With the start of the new session,  parents across Nigeria are bracing for more financial challenges ahead. With no clear end in sight to the fuel price hike and the inflation crisis, many are uncertain about how they will continue to afford their children’s education.

For now, resilience and ingenuity remain the order of the day. Parents are doing all they can to ensure their children remain in school, but the question remains—how long can they keep going at this pace? The future of Nigeria’s children, and by extension the nation itself, hinges on how well the country can navigate this challenging period.