-O. Obaremi
The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria has raised a concerning issue regarding the recent spate of tuition fee increments in government-owned schools. Parents are deeply distressed by the increasing financial burden, with many feeling as if their lifeblood is being drained due to the relentless rise in the cost of living, including tuition fees. This surge in fees was exacerbated by the introduction of the Student Loan Scheme by the government.
Notably, federal government’s unity colleges recently raised their fees from N45,000 to N100,000, and federal universities followed suit, with the University of Lagos increasing its fees from N19,000 to N190,250.
Parents are urgently appealing to the President to intervene and mandate schools to revert to their previous fee structures, thereby putting an end to the distressing tuition hike in public schools.
The concerns expressed by the presidents of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) add weight to the issue. They fear that the Student Loan Scheme may not be capable of assisting all indigent students who apply, raising questions about the feasibility of repayment methods and timelines.
As the situation unfolds, the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria urges the Federal Government to address this pressing matter promptly to alleviate the financial burden on parents and ensure equitable access to education for all.
