As schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) resume today for the 2025/2026 academic session, many parents are finding it increasingly difficult to provide for their children’s education amid Nigeria’s harsh economic realities.
For countless households, the new school year brings more anxiety than excitement. Inflation, unemployment, and the rising cost of living have slashed disposable incomes, leaving parents unable to keep up with tuition, books, uniforms, and other learning materials. According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation in July 2025 stood at 21.88 per cent, further squeezing family budgets.
For parents like single mother Obiageli Okoro, survival has meant making painful compromises. Once able to afford a reputable private school in Abuja for her two children, she is now preparing to transfer them to a cheaper school after their former school hiked fees by more than 30 percent.
“I tried everything I could — working extra hours, borrowing from friends — but it was never enough. I had to choose between feeding my children and paying their school fees,” she lamented.
Her struggle mirrors that of Sunday Eze, a father of four. “Every term, the school sends a reminder about fees. I feel ashamed when I cannot pay on time. Sometimes, my children are sent home, and they cry because they do not want to miss classes,” he said.
Other parents have resorted to crowdfunding on social media, while some, like widower Ezekiel Zamber, have sold personal belongings to cover tuition and supplies.
Education experts warn that the worsening trend could further swell Nigeria’s out-of-school population, already estimated at 17 million. Folashade Akinyemi, an education advocate, cautioned that the crisis threatens the nation’s future workforce.
“Education is supposed to be a ladder out of poverty, but when it becomes unaffordable, it pushes families deeper into the same poverty cycle,” she said.
Meanwhile, in Imo State, where schools also resumed today, the government has introduced measures aimed at easing parental burdens. The Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Schools, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, announced a ban on teachers demanding items such as shovels, cutlasses, brooms, detergents, toilet paper, A4 sheets, or unauthorised levies before admitting students for examinations.
The government also outlawed the production of textbooks in embedded workbook form and provided a dedicated phone line for parents and stakeholders to report violations of the new policy.
While the Imo directive offers some relief, parents nationwide continue to grapple with mounting educational expenses, raising urgent questions about affordability, access, and the future of millions of Nigerian children.