The Nigerian education sector has no doubt undergone critical transformation over the decades, particularly with the rise of privately owned primary and secondary schools that has made the rise a double-edged sword. While they often provide alternatives to underfunded public schools, many parents face exploitation through exorbitant fees and subpar educational quality especially at the turn of new academic term or year.
To understand this, it is crucial to take a cursory look at education in public schools prior to the emergence of these private institutions in order to examin and shed light on the subject under review.
Historically, before the proliferation of private schools, Nigeria’s public education system was largely shaped by colonial policies that prioritized a limited curriculum and primarily focused on Western education ideals.
Following independence in 1960, the Nigerian government aimed to expand access to education, resulting in increased enrollment in public schools. However, rapid population growth and insufficient funding culminated to serious systemic challenges within the education framework.
The challenges faced by these public schools over the years under different government–both military and democratic, set the stage for the rise of privately owned schools; primary and secondary schools in Nigeria, and as parents sought better educational opportunities for their children, private institutions began to flourish as a result of rise in enrollment.
In recent years, the rising cost of private education in Nigeria has become a major issue for many families. Private school owners often justify their exorbitant fees with promises of superior education compared to public schools, personalized attention on account of students to teacher ratio, and a wealth of resources.
However, the reality as of today is that these exorbitant charges frequently exploit parents, leading to severe implications for average families and the society as a whole.
Private school owners in their justifications, often argue that their tuition reflects the quality of education provided. They list small class sizes and advanced facilities amongst other factors as reasons for their exorbitant charges. While these factors can contribute to a better educational experience, the disparity in costs raises critical questions.
Many private institutions have seen tuition increases that far outpace inflation, suggesting that their primary motive may not be to provide educational excellence, but maximization of profit, and I fear at this point that should the education sector be left to be determined by the economic forces of demand and supply, parents would continue to grapple with having to navigate the ‘creepy’ path between public and privately owned schools for quality education for their children.
The burden of exorbitant tuition fees can be very overwhelming as already evident over the years for average families in Nigeria. With costs ranging from hundreds of thousands and even millions of naira annually, especially those having more than one child, many parents find themselves forced to make difficult financial decisions with far reaching economic implication on household finances.
For lower-income to middle-income families, such situation can be even more difficult. Many are therefore, excluded from the benefits of a private education altogether since the public schools continue to face decline in quality and standard as a result of corruption and poor government funding, thereby, creating an educational imbalance that reinforces existing social inequalities.
The pursuit of a better education becomes a privilege now reserved for the wealthy, thereby, further perpetuating a cycle of socio-economic disparity in the society as a result of high level of dependence on private schools by the regulators.
The increasing reliance on private education however, portends high implications for social mobility. When high-quality education becomes a commodity accessible only to the wealthy, it entrenches class divisions in the society that may grow into a bigger societal challenge in the future.
Children from affluent backgrounds already have advantages that extend beyond the classroom, including networking opportunities and access to elite universities including widening the gap between socio-economic groups in the society, it will therefore, be a disservice to humanity for government to build an education system around the forces of demand and supply in a gravely impoverished society with very high poverty scale like Nigeria.
Moreover, the focus on profit by private school owners can dilute the educational mission of any state or country. When financial motives overshadow educational goals, the quality of education may suffer drastically like we are witnessing in Nigeria leading to a system that prioritizes revenue over genuine student development.
Parents continue to groan and agonize helplessly amidst a trend that appeared as a culture by most of these private school owners such that at the turn of each new academic term or year, parents, usually of the lower-income and middle-class income earners, who are mostly civil servants, workers in private organizations, or private business operators lament bitterly as these schools always have a new feature to add to the already high financial burden of parents, increase cost of books, or even both.
One very important area government must also beam searchlight on is the educational materials. For instance, a situation where book publishers connive with private school owners or administrators to push high cost of books both relevant and irrelevant materials at every stage of educational advancement, down the throats of parents with the sole motive of profit maximization, parents are left vulnerable in the face of such wicked exploitation.
Government and Regulatory bodies as well as policymakers have a critical role to play in addressing these issues which include but not limited to increasing transparency in tuition pricing, regulating profit margins, and providing support for low-income families in form of subsidized education. Additionally, incentivizing partnerships between private and public schools could promote resource sharing and improve educational outcomes across the board without necessarily pushing additional burden on parents seeking quality education for their children.
To address these issues, government at all levels must be committed to implementing strategic measures that not only reduce the gap between public and privately owned schools but also protect parents whose children and wards are enrolled in private schools due to consequential implications on household finances.
Some of these strategic measures include:
1. Establishing a Comprehensive Regulatory Framework
One of the primary steps the government can take is to develop a robust regulatory framework for private schools. This framework should include what may be termed ‘Standardized Fee Structures’ targeted at implementing a cap on tuition fees based on the school’s category and location to prevent exorbitant charges.
Government should also mandate transparency in fee structures for private schools which will make it obligatory for these privately owned schools to disclose all costs associated with child enrollment.
Quality Assurance Measures: The government should establish criteria for school accreditation that emphasizes not only infrastructure but also teacher qualifications, curriculum standards, and student-to-teacher ratios.
2. Enhancing Public-Private Partnerships:
Collaborative efforts between the government and private educational institutions can impact and enhance educational quality while protecting parents.
Initiatives could if possible, include:
Joint Funding Programs: such that budgetary provisions are made for government grants or subsidies for private schools that meet specific quality benchmarks as may be determined in the fiscal plan to reduce costs for parents. These funds could be tied to programs that promote educational innovation and inclusivity.
Resource Sharing: Private schools could partner with public institutions to share resources, such as training for teachers and access to educational materials. This collaboration can enhance the quality of education without imposing additional financial burdens on parents.
3. Promoting Accountability and Transparency:
Ensuring accountability within private schools is vital for protecting parents’ interests: Parental Involvement: Establishing school boards that include parent representatives can give families a voice in school governance, fostering transparency and accountability.
Public Publication Requirements:
Government mandating that private schools publish annual reports detailing their finances, student performance, and operational changes can keep them accountable to parents and regulatory bodies.
4. Expanding Access to Quality Public Education:
To alleviate the burden on parents who feel compelled to turn to private schools, the government should invest in improving public education. Significant investment in the infrastructure of public schools, including facilities, teaching materials, and technology, can make them more attractive options for parents.
Also, continuous professional development for teachers in public schools can enhance educational outcomes and diminish the appeal of private alternatives.
5. Implementing Effective Grievance Mechanisms:
Establishing clear channels for complaints and grievances such as Ombudsman services which can provide a neutral party for parents to report exploitation or quality concerns to help parents voice their concerns regarding private school practices. This Ombudsman should have the authority to investigate complaints and enforce regulations.
It is expected that as population continue to soar in numbers, demands for education will be on a steady rise and the need for improved educational infrastructures and materials will become inevitable therefore, government must be futuristic in its plans, be pragmatic in its approach and ensure that authorities are deliberate in their actions towards providing access to quality public school education and fair charges in their private school counterpart.