Recently, the Nigerian Government made public its threat of fighting illegal fees collection in public schools, signaling a subtle acknowledgement of the protracted problem of illicit levies, fees and unapproved charges.
For too long, parents across Nigeria have borne the brunt of arbitrary fees imposed by school administrators, hidden charges that turn the promise of free education into an expensive dream.
Voices of aggrieved parents who bore the economic cost of this illusive “free education” policy were lost in the failure of the country’s authorities to address the widespread problem of backdoor levies.
As the Education Ministry draws a bold line to confront this evil, administrators of public schools must realise that tuition-free education is a fundamental right, not a privilege to be traded for cash.
When principals and head teachers impose unapproved fees, they are not only undermining government policy, but also closing the door of the classroom in the faces of children whose parents cannot pay.
This widespread extortion has eroded trust in public education, worsened the plight of poor students, pushed already struggling families into despair and made inclusiveness a mirage.
We, therefore, commend the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, for issuing a no-nonsense directive that there should be no more illegal fees.
One factor that distinguishes this directive from previous half-hearted efforts is its enforcement mechanism; for the first time, parents and guardians are being empowered with complaint hotlines and a dedicated email address to report extortion.
This direct line to the ministry has the potential of being a game-changer if the government ensures swift action.
Nigerians are all too familiar with “hotlines” of public service providers that ring endlessly or pile up complaints without resolution; this one must not join that graveyard of unresponsiveness.
If parents and students are to trust the system, complaints must be acted upon immediately, and offending administrators must face real consequences.
Government must also remain true to its declaration that all Federal Technical Colleges, FTCs, are tuition-free as that marks a vital step forward.
Technical and Vocational Education and Training, TVET, remains central to equipping young Nigerians with employable skills in an economy that desperately needs innovative skills.
By covering not just tuition but also approved charges such as boarding, uniforms, textbooks, medicals, and utilities, the government has lifted a heavy burden from the students and removed key barriers to access.
According to Alausa, this policy reflects President Bola Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda,” which places human capital development at the heart of national progress.
The Ministry has also clarified that personal items such as clothing, bedding, toiletries, and cleaning materials will be provided by students. This clarity is essential to prevent opportunistic school heads from twisting the policy to extract fresh levies under false pretenses.
However, government must maintain robust monitoring; and the Ministry’s promise of “mechanisms in place to swiftly address infractions” must be followed through with measurable action.
Beyond administrative measures, this war on illegal fees must be seen as a moral responsibility. Free education cannot remain a slogan; it must be the reality of every Nigerian child.
Every illicit payment demanded from parents must be seen as a direct assault on the future of a child. It is therefore unconscionable that in a country where 16 million children are already out of school, administrators would erect financial barriers in defiance of the government’s free-education policy.
That is why this campaign must be backed by visible, decisive sanctions where erring principals are not merely be warned, but also suspended, prosecuted if necessary, and publicly named and shamed.
Parents who report extortion must be protected from intimidation or victimization by school authorities, because if parents fear reprisals, they would keep silent, and the cycle of exploitation will persist.
