Encomium
The economic situation has made it increasingly unbearable for parents to make ends meet, not to talk of paying their children’s and wards school fees. Many parents have withdrawn their children from expensive schools to cheaper schools or even to government-owned schools.
ENCOMIUM Weekly sampled opinion of parents on how they coped with the 2015/2016 academic session…
‘It has been God’ -MRS. BIMBO OLANIYAN
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
It has been God, really. It has not been easy but we don’t have a choice because the children must go to school. I thank God that it has not gotten to the stage of taking them to government school. I am grateful to God for that.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
We paid installmentally this year. Before, it was usually once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No.
‘God will save Nigeria’ – MR. OPE AKINKUMI
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
This session is the toughest so far. It has not happened before, but as much as I tried, things were just not that easy. God will save Nigeria.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
We pay once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
Yes, at a point they were sent out of the class. We had to plead with the school to hold forth. In fact, the PTA had to plead with the school on behalf of parents.
‘We plan ahead’ -MR. JAMES ISAAC
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
It is through the grace of God. The country is no more what it used to be. We only depend on God and His grace for provision. We have been coping well because we plan ahead.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
We pay once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they were never sent home because of school fees.
‘I had to save for it’ – MR. BIODUN AHMED
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I had to save for it over months before resumption. There is an account opened in one of the banks dedicated for school fees and other necessary family issues. That was my saving grace.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I paid in installment. My son was a fresher, we had a lot to pay and buy.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
That didn’t happen because I fulfilled my part of the bargain with the school.
‘We plan and save ahead’ -MR. TUNDE OKUNOLA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
God has been helping us. We plan and save ahead.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I pay once because I did not take my children to school where I cannot afford. It is about cutting my dress according to my fabric.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, it has never happened.
‘I don’t encourage installmental payment’ -MR. YOMI AJAYI
How did you cope with the payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
God has been helping us. We plan ahead and make sure we pay.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I don’t encourage installment payment. It is something I can afford to pay at once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
My children can never be sent home because of school fees.
‘Things have been quite tough’ – MRS. ABUDU
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I was just lucky to have the money on me when school resumed. Things have been quite tough everywhere this year. It is only God that has been sustaining us.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
We pay once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
They were not sent home because in their school they are usually sent home two weeks after resumption.
‘They are in good schools but affordable’ – MR. AJAYI
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I didn’t put them in schools I cannot afford. They are in good schools but affordable.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I pay in installments. I always ensure I complete payment before they start exams. It is on rare occasions I don’t do that.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, never. They gave them notice and I asked them to sit at home. I went to see the management of the school and I asked them how they would make up for the time the children were sent home because I would eventually pay their fees. They had nothing to say and they stopped sending my children home. I also make sure I fulfill my own part of the bargain too.
‘Things are just not working out’ – MR. JOHNSON ADAMS
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I have not paid this term. Honestly speaking, things are just not working out. I have been begging the management of the school to bear with me because it has never happened before.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I usually pay once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
They have not been sent home.
‘We thank God for everything’ – MR. AHMED ISHOLA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
2015/2016 academic session has come and gone. We thank God for that. We were able to scale through. It wasn’t as easy as it used to be in 2014/2015. We thank God for everything.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Their fees were paid in installment and ridiculously too. My children’s school fees have never spilled over but this session, I had to balance the second term fees across board.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
They were sent home and reminder text was sent to me. They said if we didn’t comply, our children will not be allowed for revision and exam. That saddened my heart. Everything was compounded when fuel price was increased because we had to be taking two of them to school. It got to a stage that one of my children’s school fees was remaining N7,500 to balance up. For a while, it led to some embarrassment of the children but we later cleared it with deep pain.
‘It has not been easy’ – MR. JOHNSON AFOLAYAN
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I am not coping at all. It has not been easy, I must say I have withdrawn two of my children from the school they were attending to a cheaper school. The reason I left the eldest is because she will be writing her WASEC this year. But I took a lesson teacher for the other two
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I paid once that was after the mid-term, anyway.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
They were sent home once. I pleaded with the management and the children were allowed back to school.
‘This year has been the toughest’ – MR. BADMUS YUSUF
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
The economic situation has not made things easy at all. This year has been the toughest so far for me. As a business man, people are owing me and I am also owing. I am not coping really.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I paid three times. I went to see the school management and they agreed that I should pay installementally.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they didn’t send them home since I went to see the management.
‘We have been coping’ – MR. CHIBUZOR NWAKONOBI
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
We have been coping by God’s grace, just His grace and mercy. Once you commit something in His hands, He takes care of it. God has been faithful.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Twice.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
My children can never be sent home because of school fees. The worst is to pay installmentally.
‘Things got so bad’ -MR. EZE JOHN
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
It has not been easy but we thank God we were able to pay eventually. I used to plan ahead but things got so bad, I couldn’t.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
In installment. I paid for the first one and much later, I paid for the second.
‘I am just struggling’ -MR. OYEWEPO YINKA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I don’t know what to say. It has not been easy. I am just struggling. I can’t even afford breakfast for myself when I am outside the house. My wife was not working before but nobody taught her before she went to join those selling okrika (second hand clothes) at the bus-stop.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I had to withdraw them and took them to a government school.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
Severally, at least three times before we made up our mind to withdraw them.
‘Business has not been moving’ -MR. ENDURANCE UCHENDU
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
Business has not been moving like before. At times, I only take N2,000 home after closing from shop. How will I pay school fees from that.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
I have not paid. They didn’t write exam this term. By God’s grace, I will take them to government school next session.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
Three times! I asked them to stay at home after that.
‘It was not easy’ – MR. ABIODUN POPOOLA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
The academic session has come and gone but we thank God we did not owe school fees but it was not easy. This is the first time my children’s school fees spilled over. And during second term, I had to balance up their school fees.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Yes, I did. In short, a very ridiculous manner because even my children were sent home, the school sent warning letter, text messages that if I don’t pay up their fees they will not be allowed to write the exam.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
Yes. That was when I was owing the school some money for their second term, but I had to go to the school to rectify it.
‘I had to deny myself some things’ -MR. MICHAEL AKINSODE
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
It was not easy at all. I had to keep apologizing to the proprietor of the school that I will pay. I had to go through a lot and even denied myself some things because I needed to meet the needs of my children. But in everything, I still thank God for life and grace.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Yes, I paid installmentally like my daughter in SS1 I had to pay her school fees three times. My son in primary school, I had to pay his own two times because I had to settle their elder ones in the university first. I even had to deny them their party fees when I finished paying their school fees.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they were not because I already explained to the school immediately they resumed and the owner of the school knows that I don’t owe fees.
‘I had to plan ahead’ -MRS. OKORAFOR ROSEMARY
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
It was not easy. My husband and I had to plan ahead. We had to save even before school resumed.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, nothing like that happened.
‘God has been merciful’ -MR. BAYEDI KACHI
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
First, I will thank God because He has been very faithful and merciful to me and my family. Though it was not easy, we thank God.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Yes, I paid installmentally because that is how I know I could pay the money. If not, if I say let me pay once as usual I should still be owing by now.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they were not sent home but they were given warning letters to bring home.
‘I had to withdraw them’ -MR. FATAI AREMU
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
Payment of school fees ke. I have not paid. I had to withdraw them from school and took them to Iju Grammar School because I could not afford to pay their fees anymore.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
No, I did not pay anything.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
Yes, they were. It was when they sent them home that I decided to take them to a government school.
‘I have never had it this bad’ – MR. EMMANUEL OHIA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
I am not coping at all. I have never had it this bad. This school fees thing brought embarrassment to me. The school had to organize a compulsory parent meeting to discuss how we parents can be able to pay our children’s fees.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
Yes, it had to be installmental.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they were never sent back home because I am not the type of parent that owes school fees.
‘I went through sleepless nights’ – MR. CHARLES CHUKWUMA
How did you cope with payment of school fees for 2015/2016 session?
Coping is an understatement. I went through sleepless nights and had to think seriously because there was no way I could pay my children’s school fees till I had to get some money from one of my uncles before I could pay.
Do you pay your children’s school fees installmentally or once?
No, I paid once.
Have your children been sent home because of school fees?
No, they were never sent home.
- SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN and GLORY OSIGWE
