Some education stakeholders have expressed concern over the rising cost of educational resources and materials as schools resume for a new academic session.  

Respondents said this in separate interviews on Monday in Abuja.          

They said the rising cost of education-related items was placing additional financial pressure on families already struggling with the high cost of living.      

The prices of basic school items, including school bags, sandals, socks and uniforms, have increased significantly compared with their costs about three years ago.      

Ezurike Loreth, proprietress of Flora Home International School, Aso, Karu council area, said the cost of books, uniforms and other basic school materials had increased significantly, affecting both schools and families.                                                                      

According to her, the school reviewed its requirements for students and removed non-essential items from its list to ensure parents pay only for materials necessary for effective learning.      

“We asked ourselves what a child truly needs to learn well this term, and we stripped away anything that was not essential,” the administrator said.            

Ms Ezurike said procuring educational materials early also helped reduce costs, as prices often increase close to school resumption when demand is high.    

The proprietress said parents were being encouraged to reuse textbooks and other learning materials that remained relevant, particularly those that had not changed from one academic session to another.  

“We ensured this term’s scheme of work builds directly on where the previous session concluded, so there is continuity rather than time lost re-establishing where a class left off,” she said.          

She added that the school maintained open communication with parents experiencing financial difficulties to explore possible arrangements that would prevent a child’s education from being disrupted.            

Similarly, Gladys Ohiwere, headmistress of Leadway Academy, Masaka, said the school introduced flexible payment arrangements to ease the burden of paying school fees and other educational expenses at once.        

According to her, parents can spread payments over several months to meet their financial obligations gradually.                                        

“As a school, we make our payment arrangements flexible. Instead of parents paying a huge amount at once, payments can be broken down into parts. This month you pay this, next month you pay another part, and the following month you complete the balance. This makes it easier for parents,” she said.      

On maintaining educational quality amid rising costs, the headmistress said the school avoided unnecessary charges that could place additional financial pressure on parents.      

“We do not compromise on the quality of our education, but we also make sure that whatever we do does not unnecessarily increase the cost of education for parents. We avoid unnecessary charges that will make parents uncomfortable or discourage them from bringing their children back to school,” she said.        

Ms Ohiwere added that the school was also preparing classrooms by cleaning the environment and properly arranging chairs and other learning facilities to create a conducive environment for both returning and new students.                    

Chinelo Ebuka, a parent, said rising school material costs had forced her to make difficult financial decisions. According to her, the situation is particularly challenging for families with several children, as parents must also meet other household expenses, including food and accommodation.            

“You may want to buy everything your children need before school resumes, but the money may not be enough. Sometimes, I buy uniforms first and postpone bags, or buy sandals and promise to get other things later,” she said.                

Matthew Caleb, a civil servant, said the cost of preparing his three children for school had increased considerably.                  

“I have three children returning to school this session, and when you multiply the cost of uniforms, bags, sandals and books by three, the amount becomes overwhelming,” he said.        

Mr Caleb said that three years ago, a moderate amount of money could cover most of his children’s basic school needs.                  

“Now, you can spend a large amount on bags and sandals alone and still have school fees, textbooks and transportation to worry about,” he said.          

Aisha Bello, a trader, said parents frequently complained about the rising prices of school bags, sandals and other materials.        

According to her, many parents now prefer cheaper products because they can no longer afford higher-quality school materials.            

“Parents complain that things are expensive, but traders also buy these goods at higher prices. “Each time we go to restock, we discover that the prices have increased,” she said.                    

Preparations for the new school session have become a period of careful financial planning, as parents struggle to balance the cost of education with other household needs.

(NAN)