As the 2023/2024 academic session resumes, most parents already have a sleepless nights as they plan to pay school fees for their children. Some parents who spoke to our reporter cited the challenging economic realities in the country. They complained that the economic situation has worsened, as many families can no longer cope with the cost of living crises they face every day.
Mr. Friday Okorie who is a father of four, in an interview with our reporter complained bitterly that parents are suffering a lot especially now that their children are going back to school. He said they are thinking of how to feed the family and now there is another challenge of how to pay their children’s school fees which have been increased, sew new uniforms for their children who are entering higher classes, and buy books.
The principal of Osmond International Academy, Port Harcourt, Mrs. Chioma Uchenna in an interview with our reporter advised parents not to panic or feel depressed as this too shall pass. She said school owners are not out to make profits this session. Stating that they can not make a profit, with the unnecessary increase in cost and price of everything. She however urge parents to try as much as possible to cut cost. If your children can still manage their last session school bags, lunch bags, shoes, food flasks, water flasks, singlets, socks, and underwear, they should be properly washed and let them used for this new session. Stating that a new session doesn’t automatically mean new school materials and that this period isn’t the time to spend lavishly to impress anyone not even your children, because the price of everything in the market has increased whereas salaries have remained stagnant if not slashed.
Mrs Uchenna further advised parents to take things easy in order not to develop high blood pressure because if anything by chance happens to their health, their children’s education will be affected. She said if you can’t afford to pay their school fees during the first week to the second week of resumption, you should feel free to walk up to the school and ask for a payment plan. Let them know you will be paying twice or three times, for there’s nothing to be ashamed of and the school being aware of the economic situation will understand.
Meanwhile, there was a low turnout of students in both public and private schools in Port Harcourt on the first week of resumption. Our reporter who monitored Community Secondary and Primary Schools, Alakaiah, Rumuor,lumeni and Choba reports that grass had taken over some school fields, some classes are licking and others need more desks. Public school students are appealing to the State Government to provide the necessary learning materials to ease the new school year.
