Parents Protest Lagos Government’s Boarding Fee Hike

By AmforGod J. Olisa

Parents of boarding students at Eva Adelaja Girls Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos, staged a protest on Sunday over the Lagos State government’s decision to raise boarding fees from N35,000 to N100,000.

The parents voiced their dissatisfaction, demanding an immediate reversal of the fee hike. They insisted that the school would not reopen until their concerns were addressed. A government letter, titled *Review of Boarding Fees in All Public Secondary Schools in Lagos State for the 2024/2025 Session*, confirmed the new fees and stated that no additional charges should be imposed by schools. It also rescheduled the school’s resumption to Sunday, September 15, 2024.

Segun Bashorun, a parent and Public Relations Officer for the Parents’ Forum at the school, expressed frustration over the sudden fee hike. “We should have been consulted before such a drastic decision. The increase came just two days before resumption, leaving parents no time to adjust,” Bashorun said in an interview.

He highlighted the economic strain on families, compounded by rising transportation costs, and appealed for greater parental involvement in decision-making. “We are the ones paying these fees; we need to be part of the conversation,” he added.

The protesting parents held banners and placards with messages like “No reversal, No resumption!” and “We say no to this fee increment.”

The fee increase was confirmed in a letter signed by Olufemi Asaolu, Director of Basic Education Services at the Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, stating that the new boarding fee across all public boarding schools in Lagos is N100,000.