Parents Grapple with Escalating Education Expenses as Schools Reopen Today
Parents across Nigeria are voicing deep concerns over the surging cost of education as schools resume for the third term today, with inflation continuing to undermine household incomes and stretch family budgets to their limits. Many families report that the combined financial burden of increased school fees, transportation expenses, uniforms, textbooks, and other essential supplies has become overwhelmingly difficult to manage, compelling some to make harsh financial choices or explore alternative educational options.
Inflation Drives Up Education-Related Costs Nationwide
According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) last week, Nigeria's headline inflation rate climbed to 15.38% in March 2026, up from 15.06% recorded in February. This persistent rise in inflation has led to higher prices across all sectors, including critical education-related expenditures. For numerous parents and guardians, the impact is immediate and severe, with private school operators citing elevated operational costs such as electricity, rent, and staff salaries as reasons for tuition fee hikes. Even public schools are not immune, as ancillary charges continue to escalate.
Transportation Fees Add to the Financial Strain
In Abuja, the capital city, the hike in fuel prices has significantly affected school bus services, forcing institutions to either raise transport fees or reduce routes and trip frequencies to cope with rising fuel and maintenance costs. This additional expense further strains parents already struggling with mounting living expenses. Findings indicate that school bus charges in Abuja range from N100,000 to N200,000 per child per month, depending on the distance traveled. For parents with three children, this translates to a monthly outlay of between N300,000 and N600,000 for prepaid services alone.
Personal Stories Highlight the Hardship
Cyril Odiakose, a father of two, shared that the situation has forced him to reassess his household priorities, cutting back on non-essential expenses and seeking more affordable schooling alternatives to keep pace with rising costs. He noted that the steady increase in tuition and transportation fees has placed significant pressure on his finances, transforming what were once manageable expenses into a major monthly burden.
Similarly, Funke Adebayo, a mother of three, lamented that the cost of school transportation now rivals tuition fees, describing the situation as unsustainable for many middle-income families. Observations reveal that some families have turned to social media appeals to cover tuition costs, while others rely on support from relatives and friends to make ends meet.
Stakeholders Warn of Widening Educational Inequality
Education stakeholders are raising alarms that if this trend persists, it could exacerbate inequality in access to quality education, as more families may be compelled to withdraw their children from private schools or opt for less expensive alternatives. They are urgently calling on the government to implement targeted interventions, such as subsidies and policies designed to cushion the impact of inflation on education, ensuring that children are not deprived of learning opportunities due to economic hardship.
FCT Teachers Launch Indefinite Strike Over Unmet Demands
In a related development, primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will begin an indefinite strike today over unmet demands. The state wing executive council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the FCT issued this directive following an emergency meeting over the weekend. The communique, jointly signed by State Chairman Abdullahi Shafa, Secretary Margaret Jethroand, and Publicity Secretary Ibukun Adekeye, expressed concern about the delay in implementing a report outlining the teachers' demands. This report was submitted in 2025 after teachers called off a three-month strike over outstanding entitlements.
