Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos has announced an increase in the boarding fee for public schools from N35,000 to N100,000 per term, despite the ongoing economic challenges in the country. This change, which marks nearly a 300% rise, was communicated in a circular from the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education.
The government has instructed all boarding school principals to implement the new fee as students prepare for the 2024/2025 academic session. Olufemi Asaolu, the director of basic education services, signed the circular, which stated, "I have the directive of the Honourable Commissioner to inform all public boarding schools in Lagos State that the state government has approved the review of the boarding fee. The new fee is One Hundred Thousand Naira (100,000) only, and no additional fees of any kind should be collected by the schools." The circular also noted that "the resumption date remains 15th September 2024."
This fee increase comes at a time when parents are already struggling with rising costs for goods, including books and educational materials, as they prepare for the resumption of public primary and secondary schools across the country next week.