Parents Lament Hike in Private School Fees Across Enugu
Parents in Enugu metropolis are raising alarm over what they describe as unbearable increases in tuition fees and levies by most private and faith-based schools in the state.
Reports indicate that many nursery, primary, and secondary schools in Enugu have hiked fees by between 20 and 50 per cent compared to the last academic session, deepening the financial strain on households already struggling with the rising cost of living.
Mr. John Ude, a parent, said his daughter’s school fees jumped from ₦100,000 to ₦150,000, with no clear explanation beyond the proprietor’s directive.
He appealed to the government to step in and check arbitrary increases. Similarly, Mrs. Ngozi, a housewife, lamented that her children’s faith-based school in Amechi raised fees from ₦85,000 to ₦120,000 per child. For her, this was now beyond reach.
Some parents, like civil servant Mrs. Juliet Ugwu, have had no choice but to withdraw their children from private schools. She explained that her children’s school raised fees from ₦95,000 to ₦150,000 per term, an amount her salary could not cover.
On their part, school proprietors insist the hikes are inevitable. Mr. Emeka Mbah, a proprietor, said schools face the same economic realities as parents and must pay competent staff and provide learning materials.
Another proprietor, Mr. Chris Agbo, stressed that private schools continue to bridge gaps left in public education without government support, warning that many institutions are running at a loss and could collapse without fee adjustments.
The hikes come against the backdrop of a licensing-fee regime introduced by the Enugu State Government, which mandates private schools to register for provisional approval or renew their licences.
While official charges are said to be between ₦100,000 and ₦300,000, school owners allege that in practice, fees range from ₦450,000 to as high as ₦2.2 million, further compounding their financial burdens.
At the heart of the matter lies a tension between the right of school owners to stay afloat and the right of children to affordable, quality education. According to the Child Rights Act of Nigeria (2003), every child is entitled to free, compulsory, and universal basic education. Any situation that makes education inaccessible due to cost undermines this fundamental right.
Every child has the right to education. Government intervention is urgently needed to ensure that children in Enugu and beyond are not priced out of classrooms.
