PARENTS in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have raised concerns over rising tuition fees and additional charges imposed by private schools following resumption for the 2026/2027 academic session.
The parents spoke in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.
They said the development was placing additional financial pressure on families already struggling with the rising cost of living.
A parent, Mrs Amaka Ogbu, who has two children at Bloomfield Academy, Lugbe, Abuja, said the new fees had created financial difficulties for her family.
Ogbu said she was surprised by the increase in tuition and additional charges demanded by the school ahead of the new session.
“My children’s school fees have increased, and we are also expected to pay separately for books, uniforms and other things.
“As a parent, I understand that prices of goods and services have increased, but the school should also consider the financial situation of families.
“It is becoming difficult to meet all these demands at once, especially when parents have other responsibilities,” she said.
She urged private school owners to review their fees and ensure that charges for tuition, textbooks, uniforms, transportation and other services were reasonable and clearly communicated.
Another parent, Mr Akolade Abodunrin, whose daughter attends Shining Light Group of Schools, Kubwa, said the increase had affected his plans for the new academic session.
Abodunrin said he had expected to spend less on school preparations but was confronted with additional charges after the school released its new fee schedule.
“Last session, I paid N68,000, but this session the fees have gone up to N118,000.
“Apart from tuition, we are paying for textbooks, uniforms and other charges. Some of these payments were not clearly explained to us.
“I am appealing to school owners to make their fees affordable and give parents enough time to plan and pay,” he said.
Also speaking, Mr Kenneth Nwachi described the situation as “extortion”, alleging that his children’s school increased its fees by 50 per cent without consulting the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA).
Nwachi also faulted the introduction of compulsory online result-access charges, saying parents were required to pay N2,000 per term before accessing their children’s academic results.
According to him, the charge amounts to N6,000 annually per child and constitutes a significant financial burden for families with several children.
He expressed concern that replacing physical report cards with online access could make it difficult for parents to maintain permanent records of their children’s academic performance.
Nwachi, who has six children in two different schools, said meeting their educational expenses had become increasingly challenging, with some families resorting to borrowing to pay school fees.
He urged the Federal Government and state authorities to strengthen monitoring of private schools and regulate arbitrary fee increases and additional charges.
He also called for greater involvement of PTAs in decisions affecting school fees, saying parents who bore the financial burden should be consulted before major increases were introduced.
Another parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said annual fee increments had become difficult for families to absorb, particularly when schools failed to provide prior notice.
She said parents were often informed of new fees only when schools resumed, leaving them with limited options because transferring children to another school could disrupt their education.
“The increment in school fees happens almost every year, and it is not easy for parents to adjust, especially when schools do not inform us in advance,” she said.
The parent said the rising cost of quality education was forcing families to make significant adjustments to household spending to keep their children in schools they considered standard.
She added that the economic situation had made quality education increasingly difficult for low-income families, who often had to accept fee increases rather than risk moving their children to unfamiliar schools.
The parent appealed for measures that would make quality education more affordable and reduce the financial pressure on households struggling with rising living costs.
However, private school owners attributed the increases to the rising cost of running schools, particularly teachers’ salaries, rent, electricity, learning materials and other operational expenses.
Explaining the development, the proprietor of Bright Future Academy, Abuja, Mrs Comfort Adeyele, said the rising cost of operating private schools had made fee adjustments necessary.
Adeyele said teachers’ salaries accounted for a significant part of the school’s expenditure, adding that qualified teachers needed to be properly remunerated to maintain the quality of education.
“The cost of paying teachers has increased significantly. We cannot expect teachers to provide quality education when their salaries are not enough to meet their needs.
“We also have to pay for electricity, diesel, rent, security, maintenance and teaching materials.
“Although we understand the concerns of parents, private schools must also meet these obligations to remain operational,” she said.
The proprietor said the school had tried to ensure that the increase was moderate and had considered the financial challenges faced by parents.
Adeyele added that the school was exploring ways to reduce unnecessary expenses and provide flexible payment arrangements for families. (NAN)
