As schools resume tomorrow, children are bubbling with excitement, bags packed, shoes polished, and uniforms ironed. But behind the smiles of many pupils are parents quietly battling the heavy weight of rising school fees.
For some families, the joy of resumption is already mixed with stress. “Na joy for the children, but na pain for our pocket,” sighed Mr. Ade, a bus driver in Ibadan. “Last term I paid ₦45,000, now dem don add another ₦10,000. Salary never increase, but everything else dey increase.”
Mothers, too, are feeling the pinch. Mrs. Chinyere, a petty trader, explained how even before tuition, small expenses have eaten deep into her budget. “By the time you buy uniform, bag, books, and transport money, you go just tire. School fees never even reach, but pocket don empty.”
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Education experts say schools are raising fees because of the high cost of diesel, materials, and daily operations. But for parents on the street, that explanation brings little comfort. Many are cutting down on food, dipping into savings, or even borrowing just to ensure their children don’t miss out.
Still, despite the pain, the commitment to education remains strong. “No matter how e hard, we no fit keep pikin for house,” said Mrs. Halima, a mother of three in Kano. “Education na the only future we get to give them.”
So, while children are counting down the hours to reunite with classmates, their parents are counting the cost—resumption joy for the kids, but serious pocket pain for the adults.