Parents and guardians are facing a combination of higher tuition, more expensive learning materials, increased transportation costs and continuing concerns about the safety of children on their way to and within school premises.
For many households, the financial calculation surrounding school resumption now involves much more than the amount written on a school bill. Feeding, textbooks, uniforms, transport, levies and other school-related expenses can significantly increase the cost of keeping a child in school throughout the term.
The pressure is particularly evident among families already dealing with higher living expenses.
School fees rise as parents struggle with household costs
Several private schools have adjusted their charges for the new academic session, with reports indicating increases of between 30 and 40 per cent in some schools.
Examples reported in Lagos illustrate the scale of the changes. One private secondary school in Ipaja reportedly moved its tuition from N86,000 to N124,000 per term, while another school in Egbeda increased its fee from N250,000 to N320,000.
The increases have triggered concern among parents who must also pay for textbooks, uniforms, stationery and other compulsory or incidental expenses.
The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN, has acknowledged the financial difficulty facing families, saying many parents are struggling to meet education-related obligations amid the wider economic situation.
Its position contrasts with that of private-school proprietors, who argue that schools are themselves operating under significant financial pressure.
Why school owners say fees are increasing
The Lagos chapter of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, has defended the adjustments, pointing to the rising cost of running schools.
According to the association’s Lagos president, Otunba Yusuf Alaka, school operators are dealing with increasing expenditure on facilities, staff salaries, transportation, taxes and other operational requirements.
He also pointed to outstanding school fees owed by parents as another difficulty affecting private schools.
The argument from school proprietors is that maintaining educational standards requires schools to meet their own rising expenses. Higher teacher salaries, building maintenance, electricity, transportation and other services all feed into the cost of operating a school.
For parents, however, the challenge is that household incomes do not necessarily rise at the same pace as these expenses.
That creates a difficult gap between what schools say they need to charge and what families can realistically afford.
Fuel costs are changing how children get to school
Transportation has emerged as another major pressure point this term.
The latest increase in fuel costs has raised concerns about school-run expenses, particularly for parents who use private vehicles to take their children to and from school.
One parent cited in the report said spending around N10,000 daily on fuel for school transportation would be difficult to sustain. He opted instead to engage a tricycle operator in his neighbourhood to transport his child.
The situation is also affecting school operators.
Some schools have reportedly reviewed or discontinued their bus services because of the cost of fuel and vehicle maintenance. Where school buses become unavailable or more expensive, the additional burden can shift directly to parents.
This means a school that appears affordable based on tuition alone may become considerably more expensive once daily transportation is added.
The cost of returning to school goes beyond tuition
For families with more than one child, the financial pressure can multiply quickly.
A typical resumption budget may include:
- School fees and levies
- Textbooks and notebooks
- Uniforms and footwear
- School bags and other learning materials
- Transportation
- Feeding and daily pocket money
- Examination and activity charges
- Boarding or hostel expenses where applicable
This makes school resumption a recurring household financial commitment rather than a one-time payment.
Recent reporting has also highlighted increases in the prices of textbooks and other school-related necessities, suggesting that parents who have already paid tuition may continue to face additional expenses during the term.
For lower- and middle-income families, the result can be difficult choices over which expenses to prioritise.
Parents raise renewed concerns about school security
While affordability remains a major concern, safety is another issue influencing parents’ decisions as children return to school.
Concerns about kidnapping and attacks on educational institutions have remained part of Nigeria’s wider security challenge.
In June 2026, the Federal Government described the abduction of schoolchildren and teachers in Oyo and Borno as a national security concern and said the safe return of those affected remained a priority.
The concern has added importance to calls from parents for stronger security arrangements around schools, particularly boarding institutions and schools located in vulnerable or remote communities.
Some parents have called for perimeter fencing, better surveillance and increased deployment of security personnel around schools.
The concern is not limited to the school compound itself. Parents are also worried about the safety of children travelling between home and school, especially where long-distance transportation is involved.
Federal Government assures parents over Unity College security
Ahead of the new academic session, the Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed that Federal Unity Colleges would resume on September 14, 2026, and said relevant security agencies had been informed of the resumption arrangements.
The ministry said security agencies were maintaining heightened vigilance around the colleges and their immediate environments.
The government also urged parents and guardians to rely on official information concerning school resumption rather than unverified messages circulating online.
The ministry subsequently dismissed a purported circular claiming that Federal Unity Colleges had been given an additional three-week holiday, describing the document as fabricated and reiterating the September 14 resumption date.
However, the reopening of the Federal Unity Colleges also became entangled in a separate dispute involving education workers and the government’s concession of King’s College, Lagos. Reports indicated that workers in the affected institutions opposed the resumption directive, creating uncertainty around academic activities in some federal colleges.
Parents want security measures to go beyond assurances
For many parents, government assurances are important, but physical security measures remain a priority.
Some have called for schools to be properly fenced, particularly in rural communities where schools may be more exposed to security threats.
Parents have also stressed the importance of reporting suspicious activity, damaged infrastructure and other safety concerns promptly.
The Federal Ministry of Education already has a national school safeguarding framework that provides mechanisms for identifying and reporting child-safety concerns. The framework is intended to strengthen the ability of schools and education authorities to respond to risks affecting learners.
The challenge is ensuring that such policies translate into practical protection at individual schools.
NUT urges parents not to give up on education
Amid the financial difficulties, the Nigeria Union of Teachers has urged parents and guardians not to withdraw their children from school because of the current economic challenges.
The union acknowledged that families are under pressure but maintained that children’s education should remain a priority.
The position highlights the central dilemma facing households this term: parents must find ways to keep their children in school while managing a cost-of-living environment that is putting pressure on virtually every major household expense.
What parents and schools will be watching next
As the academic session progresses, several issues are likely to remain important.
First is whether schools will introduce further adjustments to fees or ancillary charges if operating expenses continue to rise.
Second is transportation. Continued changes in fuel prices could affect school-bus charges and the cost of private transportation.
Third is the availability and affordability of textbooks and other educational materials.
Security will remain another major issue, particularly for boarding schools and institutions located in areas exposed to kidnapping or other forms of violence.
The situation involving Federal Unity Colleges will also require close attention as the government and education-sector unions address their differences.
The bigger issue: keeping education accessible
The latest school-resumption pressure reflects a broader challenge for Nigeria’s education system.
Parents need schools that are affordable and safe. School proprietors need enough revenue to pay teachers, maintain facilities and keep their institutions operating. Teachers need sustainable working conditions, while government authorities face the responsibility of maintaining standards and protecting learners.
These interests do not always align.
The immediate challenge for families is therefore not simply finding money for school fees. It is managing the complete cost of education while ensuring that children can attend school safely and consistently.
For parents, schools and government authorities, the coming months will show whether the competing pressures of affordability, operational costs and security can be managed without placing education beyond the reach of more Nigerian families.
LMSINT MEDIA will continue to monitor developments around school fees, education costs, school security and the 2026/2027 academic session.
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