…It wasn’t an easy decision — Lagos govt

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

HUMAN Rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN, and a parents’ forum, yesterday, kicked against the recent increment in school fees by the Federal and Lagos State governments, describing it as illegal.

Recall that the Federal Government on July 2023, increased fees for Unity Schools from N45,000 to N100,000.

Similarly, the Lagos State government, at the weekend, announced N100,000 as the new fee for the state-owned boarding schools which was previously N35,000.

Reacting to the hike, Mr Falana described it as a violation of the Child’s Rights Law just as he vowed to challenge the decision in Court.

His words: “The Federal Government has increased fee payable in all unity schools from N45,000 to N100,000 per term. Thus, the fee payable per annum is N300,000 per student.

“Similarly, the Lagos State government has fixed fees payable in all secondary schools at N100,000 per term or N300,000 per annum by every student.

“At N70,000 minimum wage, the salary of a worker per term of four months is N280,000. The implication is that a worker can no longer sponsor even one child either in the unity school or any secondary school in Lagos State.

“However, under the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State Child’s Rights Law, every child is entitled to free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school. To that extent, the imposition of N100,000 fees on students in junior secondary schools in Unity Schools and Secondary schools in Lagos is illegal.

“Given the clear provisions of the Child’s Rights Laws applicable in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the illegal imposition of prohibitive fees on junior secondary school students will be challenged in the appropriate High Court.

“Meanwhile, on July 10, 2024, the Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, revealed that over N45. 7 billion matching grant to the state government for the implementation of Universal Basic Education, UBE, between 2020 and 2023 has not been accessed by many state governments.”

Parents kick, demand reversal

Also, parents of boarding students at Eva Adelaja Girls Grammar School in Bariga, Lagos State, protested against the school fees hike from N35,000 to N100,000 about an 186 per cent increment.

Some of the parents lamented the situation with one of them saying “Why do you want to keep our children at home? Don’t keep our children at home.

“We can’t afford this money, this money is too much. Our children want to go to school. Solidarity forever!!! We will always fight for our rights.

“We want free education. The economy is biting on everybody. It is not done anywhere and it is not going to happen from N35,000 to N100,000,” some of the protesters said.

The parents, therefore, demanded the reversal of the 200 per cent increase in boarding fees.”

Chairman of the Parents’ Forum of Lagos Model Colleges, Mr Dapo Dawodu, said: “We have witnessed, in the last 24 hours, an avalanche of outpouring of extreme disdain, anguish and deep frustration at the mindless and provocative 200% increment of boarding fees for our children, by the mindlessly corrupt officers of the Lagos State Ministry of Education!

“And it was most unfortunate that the unbridled greed of these enemies of the good people of Lagos State (vide you the parents), were given their leeway by the headship of the ministry.

“To be clear, the fee of N100,000 per term, when paid in a school of 1000 students, translates to N100 million in the purse of the school principal to feed the children within just 3 months.

“Recall that for this same exercise, the same principal had carried same out for less than N35 million previously! Downscaling in a school of 500 students, a principal wants to spend N50 million for an exercise that they had achieved previously below N17.5 million paid by parents!

“If our Commissioner is not scandalized at this, we parents find it exceedingly odious.

“Taking another view of the whole educational programme, Lagos State boasts of a free education policy, to which the boarding programme ought not to have been excluded.

“But parents of boarding students seemed to have shown understanding with then past governments when the cash crunch was heavily against the State many, many years ago.”

It wasn’t an easy decision — Lagos govt

When contacted, the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, in a statement said: “The Ministry is aware of dissenting views by some parents to the inevitable increase in boarding fees in our model colleges. This is not an easy decision but the welfare of the children is a priority for the Ministry and the State.

“Lagos State Government provides free education in 1,021 Primary schools, 369 Junior Secondary and 329 Senior Secondary Schools which include 32 model Colleges across the State.

“The issue of ensuring better welfare for our model college students necessitated the increase in boarding fees.

“The government takes responsibility for the health and well-being of the students while in school. To do this will require the full cooperation of all stakeholders. Our parents should show understanding for the sake of the children.”