Lagos Parents Protest as School Fees Triple Amid Economic Hardship

A wave of discontent swept through Ikorodu, Lagos State, as parents of students at Oriwu Model College staged a protest against the sudden and steep increase in boarding fees.

The state government had raised the fees from N35,000 to N100,000, a move that has sparked significant outrage given the prevailing economic hardships in Nigeria.

The protest, which took place at the school gate, saw parents demanding an immediate reversal of the fee hike. Mr. Kazeem Oladuni, Chairman of the Parents Forum Association (PFA) at Oriwu College, voiced the collective frustration and concern of the parents. "Our children were supposed to resume on September 9, but we received a memo that one week has been added, which expired today, September 15," he explained.

"To our surprise, another memo came out on September 13, indicating that the boarding fees have been increased from N35,000 to N100,000." Mr. Oladuni further elaborated on the parents' stance, stating, "We held a meeting with the Lagos State Coordinator of PFA and resolved that the fees are outrageous for any parent at this time of hardship in the country."

The parents are appealing to the state Ministry of Education to revert to the old fees to enable their wards to resume school without further delay.