Some parents in Enugu metropolis have expressed worry over what they described as an `unbearable’ increase in tuition fees and levies charged by most private and faith-based schools in the state.

They said that most nursery, primary and secondary schools owned by private and faith-based organisations increased their tuition fees and other levies between 20 and 50 per cent compared to what obtained last academic session.

A parent, John Ude, said on Monday in Enugu that the development had further placed an additional financial burden on many households already stretched by the rising cost of living.

He said, “I was surprised to hear from my children’s school principal that the school fee for my daughter in junior secondary 2 is now N150,000 as against N100,000 we paid last year. I tried to ask what the reason for the increment was and the principal said that it was the directive from the proprietor and that he does not have much explanation on the matter.’’

Mr Ude said that it was important for the government to look into arbitrary hikes in fees and levies in private schools, as that was causing a lot of socio-economic burdens on parents and guardians.

A housewife, who simply gave her name as Mrs Ngozi, said that the new tuition charged by a popular faith-based school in the Amechi area of Enugu had made the school out of the reach of average parents.

According to her, last term, she paid ₦85,000 per child for her three children, but this new session, the school said that the fees is now ₦120,000 per child.

“Government should intervene and regulate these charges because education is supposed to be a social service and not a profit-orientated venture, which most school owners are turning it into,” she said.

A civil servant, Juliet Ugwu, said she had already decided to transfer her two children to a public school because she cannot afford new tuition fees charged by her children’s school.

“The school my children attend raised their fees to ₦150,000 per term as against ₦95,000 we paid last term. I cannot cope with that considering my take-home salary,” she said.

Some private and faith-based school proprietors and administrators defended the increment, insisting that it was due to the prevailing economic realities.

They cited inflation, rising utility costs, staff salaries and the need to maintain quality learning environments as key reasons behind the fee adjustment.

A school proprietor, Emeka Mbah, said that the fee adjustment in his school was aimed at sustaining operations without compromising standards.

“We understand the concerns of some parents, but schools are also grappling with the same economic pressures.  We cannot deliver quality education if we do not have competent teaching staff members and the right instructional materials,” Mr Mbah said.

Another school proprietor, Chris Agbo, argued that in spite of the increments, private schools still bear a heavy burden in bridging the gap created in educational services by the government and yet do not receive subvention from the government.

Mr Agbo said that some private school owners are running at a loss, insisting that investment in education ventures is capital intensive.

He maintained that without the adjustments in fees, most schools would collapse.

(NAN)