in ,

Parents groan over school fees…schools relax rules of payment

Due to the state of the economy and constant complains from all angles about things being tough, there is a believe that the current cash crunch might have had an effect on the education system causing some parents to withdraw their wards from schools to stay at home till they can afford to pay the tuition, while some are said to withdraw their children from their former schools to less expensive schools. ENCOMIUM Weekly had a chat with parents and some school authorities about this claim and to know what methods parents are using to keep their children in school…

 

PARENTS

MR DANIEL OLUGBEMI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes, it has. I used to pay my children’s school fees before resumption, now we struggle to pay within the first month of resumption.

How are you coping?

We have no choice than not to pay. We adjusted our budget and ensured we paid before they start chasing away children from school.

Has the thought of withdrawing occurred to you?

No, it has not occurred to me because I have seen improvement in my son compared to his former school. I don’t want anything less.

 

MR YEMI DARAMOLA

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes, to a very large extent. Most schools increased their tuition fees this session. Some schools didn’t even notify parents before effecting changes.

How are you coping?

It is unfortunate that the economy is what it is now. Parents shouldn’t be complaining of paying the token on their children at this level. We are left with no choice than to go ahead and pay.

Has the thought of withdrawing occurred to you?

I was tempted once but it means I will go for a less standard school which I wasn’t satisfied with. It is better to get the children into better schools than withdrawing them.

 

MRS. BUKOLA LAWAL

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

I will say yes. Though we usually plan ahead, save up to pay their fees but we had to spend the one we saved when an emergency came up.

How are you coping?

God came to our rescue. By God’s grace, we will be paying our children’s fees this week. So, we are coping by God’s grace.

Has the thought of withdrawing. Occurred to you?

No, not at all. I believe parents have to look for a means to sort out their children.

 

MRS. GBEMI ADELERU

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes and seriously, parents struggle to pay a fee of less than N100,000 now. It shouldn’t be.

How are you coping?

God has been faithful. At times, we have to take a loan from my husband’s work place to settle it.

Has the thought of withdrawing occurred to you?

We have changed their school twice. I can’t even think of that again, it will affect those innocent children.

 

OKWARA CHARLES

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes, it is. Things are not as easy as they used to be. My company is  owing me three months salary. It is my wife that is taking care of the family now and how much is her salary. We are just managing.

How are you coping?

We are just managing to get by. Like I said, they owe us salary.

Has the thought of withdrawing occurred to you?

I am doing that next week. There is a school close by, I am taking them there, they charge less.

 

MRS. FABIYI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes, it has and it is very sad, things have suddenly become so hard

How are you coping?

We have pleaded with the school to give us till the end of the month.

Has the thought of withdrawing your child from the school occurred to you?

No, it hasn’t because it’s one of the best schools in our area.

 

ADAMS

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

No, it hasn’t, I actually paid at the beginning of the session. It’s just like I foresaw the situation, I’m glad I paid the fees earlier because business isn’t going too well.

How are you coping?

I’m not owing the school, so I have no complain.

 

MRS. ADEOTI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

Yes, it has.

How are you coping?

We have been able to pay half of the tuition and the school has agreed that we pay the balance at the end of the month.

Has the thought of withdrawing your child from the school occurred to you?

Yes, it has, we would change their schools after this session to a less expensive one.

 

ADEWALE

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your children’s school fees this term?

No, it hasn’t because I saved up for it and I made sure I didn’t spend any of it, I have just two children and I’ve made up my mind to give them the best education I can afford.

How are you coping?

I am coping very well.

Has the thought of withdrawing your child from the school occurred to you?

No, it hasn’t.

 

MRS. THOMPSON

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected your ability to pay your childrens school fees this term? 

Yes, it has.

How are you coping?

It hasn’t been so easy but God will provide. The school has given parents extra time to pay the fees. I’m sure they understand that times are hard.

Has the thought of withdrawing your child from the school occurred to you?

No, it hasn’t because I love the school.

 

SCHOOL OWNERS/ HEADMASTERS/ TEACHERS

MRS. KEMI ADEBISI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

It’s not really affecting us. They are enrolling but many are not paying. A lot of parents are owing school fees.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

By upgrading our standard, by enriching the curriculum and the delivery method to comply with international standard practice.

 

AKWAGO EZE

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

The population of pupils actually reduced at the beginning of the school year but I don’t know if it is majorly because of the state of the economy or for other reasons. Some left for more expensive schools. While some left for cheaper schools

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

In order to retain pupils, we decided to improve on our relationship with parents, ensure teaching methods are excellent to improve learning and so have more satisfied parents, ensure all the children are happy to come to school. Always give a listening ear to both parents and children, organise programmes aimed at advertising the school such as Christmas concert and sports day.

 

MRS. DAVIES

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

Yes, it has. Parents don’t pay school fees as early as they used to again. Some will owe till we start sending their children home because they haven’t paid.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

We give some understanding parents more time to pay up. We allow some to pay installmentally. We ensure we don’t compromise standard and make sure our teachers give pupils well deserved attention.

 

MISS TOSIN

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

It is really affecting us to a very large extent. A lot of parents are withdrawing their children from expensive schools.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

The population in schools has reduced. It is the less expensive schools that are having more students now.

 

PHILIPS

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

Yes, it has, some of our students have not resumed.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

We have delegated some teachers to visit the children and parents at home, then from there, we would know what other steps to take.

 

MR AFOLABI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

I really can’t tell for now, because schools just resumed and a lot of pupils travelled and are not back. Schools are always slightly scanty at the beginning of the term.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

We intend to upgrade our teaching system.

 

AJAYI

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

I can’t say it has because schools just resumed, and some parents believe activates won’t start immediately, so they don’t allow their children resume immediately.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

I’m not sure we would want to reveal the strategies we would employ.

 

MRS. ADEOSUN

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

No, it hasn’t. School just resumed and the classes are already filled.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

We would just continue to give the same quality education  to our pupils.

 

CHURCHER

Has the dwindling economy of Nigeria affected the population of pupils in your school?

Yes, it has and we understand that things are not easy. The economic issue is affecting all sectors of the country.

What are the strategies you are using to retain pupils?

We have decided to have a meeting with all the parents of pupils in our school, and let them know that the school fees can be paid installmentally. We even devised a payment plan to make it easier.

-SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN and TINUOLA JOSEPH

Encomium

Written by Encomium

A media, tech and events company.

What do you think?

Leave a Reply

Avatar

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Gold diggers are after me for marriage’ -Josephine Ugwu, airport cleaner who returned N12 million cries

‘Nollywood has many rivers to cross’, Gloria Young