Outcry over expensive graduation fees in schools

Economic pressures are hitting families hard as many private and public schools across the country demand steep fees for end-of-session parties and graduation ceremonies.

Parents are speaking out against these rising costs, calling them unfair and unnecessary during a period of widespread financial hardship.

Earlier, some state governments banned graduation ceremonies for nursery, kindergarten, and other pre-primary pupils nationwide. They also urged schools to stop exploiting students in terminal classes under the guise of organising graduation events.

The decision followed the announcement in a joint statement by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Sa’id, on the matter. While some states have domesticated the policy, many others remain silent on the matter.

Consequently, many schools are capitalising on weak enforcement mechanisms to continue exploiting parents.

In Lagos, Jagawa, Niger, Plateau, Ogun, and Oyo states, average private schools charge as high as N150,000 or more for graduation, and between N30,000 and N50,000 per student for end-of-session parties. For high-brow private institutions, these fees double.

Public schools, including Federal Government Colleges, are also demanding huge sums for terminal ceremonies from their students.

For families with multiple children in the same school, the total cost far exceeds a month’s salary of many families. But, many parents pay simply to save their children from the stigma of feeling excluded.

With the soaring cost of fuel, electricity, and daily food items, households are forced to make tough choices. Mrs Bolanle Adebayo, a mother of two, expressed her deep frustration: “I am paying over N100,000 just for my son, who is transiting to secondary school. It is completely absurd. We are struggling to pay regular tuition, yet the school is focusing on expensive parties,” she lamented.

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Another parent, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared a breakdown of the costs at a school in the Isolo area of Lagos: “We were asked to pay N110,000 for the SS3 graduation. The money covers photo shoots (uniform and mufler), a yearbook, and promotional party. The graduation fee of N60,000 is compulsory, while the other is optional.”

Another parent in Epe complained to the Nigeria Tribune that her daughter was charged N150,000 graduation fee, and would still buy a graduation suit of N210,000, which is optional though.

For these parents and many others, this development is a major source of concern, especially with September approaching, when new session fees will fall due.

Private school proprietors, however, argue that they are not exploiting parents. Instead, they blame the escalating costs on the broader macroeconomic environment. They note that inflation has driven the cost of event materials to the rooftop, adding that some parents still expect high-end, memorable events.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Tribune investigations revealed that some schools are charging moderate fees and restricting celebrations strictly to terminal classes. These schools believe it is better to align with the federal government’s directive.

“We just want a low-key valedictory programme for our Basic Six pupils, while cancelling the end-of-session party entirely,” a proprietor told the Nigerian Tribune. “We only asked our graduating pupils to pay just N8,000 for photo shoots, certificates, and testimonials, and appealed to parents to support voluntarily with refreshments.”

Nevertheless, education advocates and parents are calling on state ministries of education across the country to intervene and strictly enforce the federal directive. Many suggest holding low-key, strictly in-house events on school premises to cut costs. Until such measures are taken, end-of-term celebrations will remain a source of dread rather than joy for many Nigerian families.