Human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana SAN at the weekend described as illegal the increment of school fees in Secondary Schools by both the Federal and Lagos State governments, saying minimum wage earners in the country can no longer afford to train one child in Secondary School.
Federal government starting from this session announced increment in fees payable to N100k from N45k per term by each student, thereby making fees is a session N300k. Similarly, Lagos State increased fees from N35k to N100k per term, an increase to M300k per session.
The increase, according to the senior lawyer is against the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State Child’s Rights Law which make makes every child entitled to free and compulsory education at the primary school and Junior Secondary Schools (JSS).
Besides, he said most states are yet to access the Universal Basic Education (UBE) N45.7 billion free education grant available to all states for s Primary and Secondary education.
Falana’s statement reads:
ILLEGAL IMPOSITION OF FEES IN JUNIOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA
The federal government has increased fees payable in all unity schools from N45,000 to N100,000 per term. Thus, the fee payable per annum is N300,000 per student.
Similarly, the Lagos State Government has fixed fees payable in all secondary schools at N100,000 per term or N300,000 per annum by every student.
At N70,000 minimum wage, the salary of a worker per term of 4 months is N280,000. The implication is that a worker can no longer sponsor even one child either in the Unity School or any secondary school in Lagos State.
However, under the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State Child’s Rights Law, every child is entitled to free & compulsory education from primary school to junior secondary school. To that extent, the imposition of N100,000 Fee on students in junior secondary schools in Unity Schools and secondary schools Lagos State is illegal.
In view of the clear provisions of the Child’s Rights Laws applicable in all states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, the illegal imposition of prohibitive fees on junior secondary school students will be challenged in the appropriate High Courts.
Meanwhile, on July 10, 2024, the Executive Secretary of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Dr. Hamid Bobboyi revealed that over N45.7 billion matching grant to state governments for the implementation of Universal Basic Education (UBE) between 2020 and 2023 has not been accessed by many states governments.
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