In Lagos, several parents have taken a stand against a significant fee hike in public boarding schools by refusing to send their children back to class. The parents, angered by the sudden increase, vowed to keep their children at home until the decision is reversed, citing the financial burden it places on families already struggling with economic challenges.
Viral footage circulating online shows peaceful demonstrations outside Lagos Model Colleges in Ojo and Meiran, where parents held placards demanding the reversal of the fee increase. Signs read: “From N35,000 to N100,000,” “No Reversal, No Entry,” “Say No to Boarding School Fee Hike,” and “Where is the Free Education You Promised Our Children?”
One parent expressed the collective frustration: “We cannot afford these new fees, and until they reverse it, our children will not go back to school.” The fee hike, from N35,000 to N100,000 per term, has sparked widespread outrage, with parents accusing the schools and government of insensitivity in the face of the nation’s ongoing economic difficulties.
Despite the growing protests, school authorities have yet to formally address the demands. While some suggest the hike was necessary due to rising operational costs, parents remain firm in their stance, stating that the increase is unjustified and unfair. As a result, students affected by the dispute remain out of school, with no resolution in sight.
Speaking with reporters, Mr. Ifeukwu Samuel, Vice-Chairman of the Parents’ Forum at Lagos State Senior Model College, Ojo, confirmed the abrupt nature of the fee hike. He shared that parents were blindsided by the decision, receiving notice only days before the start of the new term. “We’ve been preparing to resume since last Sunday, but on Friday, we received shocking news of the 200% increase,” he said.
Mr. Samuel, who has three children in different year groups, noted that many parents are now considering pulling their children out of the schools altogether. “We are already burdened by rising costs in fuel, electricity, and now school fees. This hike only adds insult to injury,” he lamented.
Another parent, choosing to remain anonymous, shared his dismay after contacting his child’s House Master. “I was advised not to bring my child to school,” he said, adding that families traveling from outside Lagos were caught off guard by the fee increase.
Surv. Dapo Dawodu, Chairman of the Parents’ Forum of Lagos Model Colleges, also raised concerns during a meeting held on Saturday, calling the fee hike “mindless and provocative.” In a letter addressed to parents, Dawodu emphasized that the forum would not send their children back to school until the hike was reversed.
The Lagos State Government announced the fee increase on Friday, 13th September, through a directive issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education. The letter, signed by Olufemi Asaolu, Director of Basic Education Services, stated: “The State Government has approved the review of the boarding fee payable in all public boarding schools. The newly approved fee is N100,000 only.”
As parents continue to protest, the standoff shows no signs of easing, with both sides remaining at odds over the steep fee increase.