Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has condemned the recent increment in school fees by the federal and Lagos state governments, describing the development as illegal.
Recall that the federal government had in July 2023
increased fees for Unity Schools from N45,000 to N100,000 per term, an increase
by over 120%. In a similar fashion, the Lagos State government, yesterday,
announced N100,000 as the new fees for state-owned boarding schools. It was
previously N35,000.
Falana’s reaction, weekend, described it as a violation of
the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State Child’s Rights Law. He lamented that
with the increase being above the minimum wage of N70,000, “a worker can no
longer sponsor even one child either in the Unity School or any secondary
school in Lagos State.” He vowed to challenge the decision in the appropriate
High Courts.
He wrote, “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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