By Akinwale Kasali

Angry parents of students in Model Colleges across Lagos State have labeled Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State Government as heartless, unreasonable and insensitive to the economic hardship faced by Lagosians and Nigerians in general following a 190 percent Increment of the School Fees from N35,000 to N100,000.

The increment which came as a shock to Parents and Educators alike without prior notice,  comes at a time  Nigerians are already grappling with skyrocketing costs of living, driven by fuel price hikes and inflation, which have pushed up the prices of food, transport, and basic household items.

Many parents are expressing frustration and disbelief at the sudden fee hike.

Martha Aderinoye, a Parent whose Child attends Meiran Model College, Meiran in Agbado Oke Odo Local Council Development Area said that the sudden increment will no doubt have an adverse effect on her Child.

The widow, lamented that she only managed to pay the N35,000 School Fees of her Daughter who is her third  through the help of Families, Friends and with her little business, now that the money has skyrocketed by over 190 percent, she is in a fix as the education progress of her Ward will be affected.

Aderinoye is just one out of thousands of Parents who are affected by this sudden increment.

Chinonso Uchegbulam, another affected Parent said, “The government is making life difficult for the masses.

“I have already spent over N200,000 on school supplies for my children, and I had paid the previous N35,000 fee. Now they’re asking for N100,000, which is simply too much.”

Similarly, Rufus Bamidele, a father of three children attending Ijanikin Model College, voiced his concerns. “I cannot afford to pay N100,000 per child every term. That’s N300,000 just for school fees, not to mention uniforms and other essentials. This decision is unfair, especially since the government announced it just days before the school term begins.

“Why is the government adding to our pains and sufferings”, Bamidele queried.

A Parent, Ayo Ogunse, said the last fee was N35,000, saying parents had paid the fee last week before the new fee circular was posted on Friday afternoon.

“We were surprised to receive this new fee of N100,000 after paying N35,000 last week,” she said.

The decision to raise the fees was officially communicated through a circular issued by the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, signed by Olufemi Asaolu, Director of Basic Education Services, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary. The increase will take effect in the 2024/2025 academic session.

The Letter to all boarding school principals signed by the Director, Basic Education Services, Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Olufemi Asaolu.

The letter titled, ‘Review of boarding fees in all public secondary schools in Lagos State for 2024/2025 session,’ added that no additional fee of any form should be collected by the schools, saying the resumption date would now be September 15, 2024.

“I am further directed to inform you that no additional fee of any form should be collected by the schools.

“I have the directive of the Honourable Commissioner to inform all Public Boarding House schools in Lagos State that the state government has approved the review of the boarding fee payable in all public boarding house schools in Lagos State. The newly approved fee is N100,000 only.

“Kindly note that the resumption date remains 15th September 2024.”

Parents’ groups, including the State Parents Forum for Model Colleges, have expressed strong opposition to the fee hike.

In a letter signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Surv. Dapo Dawodu, the committee condemned the abrupt increase, calling it “insensitive, non-procedural, and impractical.”

Dawodu, also, criticized the Ministry of Education for failing to engage with parents before making this decision.

He pointed out that the previous fee of N35,000 was agreed upon after negotiations between parents and the Lagos State House of Assembly, with the understanding that the funds would be managed jointly by parents and school authorities through a Boarding School Management Committee. Despite this agreement, many school principals have reportedly refused to adhere to the directive.

In response to the hike, the Parents Forum has directed families to pay only the previously agreed N35,000 and to send their children to school as planned.

The Forum vowed to continue engaging with relevant authorities to resolve the issue.

As the new academic term approaches, the tension between the government and parents continues to grow, with many calling for a reversal of the fee increase to alleviate the financial burden on struggling families.