The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Nigeria (NAPPS), has called on the government to offer assistance to private schools in order to alleviate the impact of fuel subsidy removal. In a webinar titled “Government policies and resultant effects on private school administration: a case study on the removal of fuel subsidy,” Dr. Yomi Odubela, the national president of NAPPS, highlighted the adverse effects of fuel subsidy removal on private schools. He pointed out that transportation costs had skyrocketed and the prices of goods and services had risen, compelling schools to reevaluate their budget allocations.
According to Odubela, these circumstances have prompted potential increases in tuition fees, placing an additional burden on parents who are already grappling with economic challenges. Additionally, the heightened cost of fuel and other resources may result in cutbacks in infrastructure development, teacher training programs, and extracurricular activities, which are all crucial components of a comprehensive educational experience.
Odubela further emphasized that the government should provide the following relief measures: offering school buses on lease agreement models, sponsoring state and private teachers’ training on a termly basis, providing education grants for school teachers and administration, establishing education banks to grant loans to teachers, school owners, and parents at a low interest rate, and approving tax holidays for teachers and schools.
Renowned economist Mr. Bismarck Rewane also chimed in, suggesting that investments should be made in teachers’ training. He recommended that schools request educational subsidies, seek tax holidays, reduce the number of physical classes, and avoid increasing tuition fees to avoid a negative backlash. Rewane stressed that running a school must consider both commercial and non-commercial aspects, with basic education being compulsory while tertiary education is more exclusive. He also highlighted the government’s responsibility to provide basic education, and he acknowledged that wage reviews are inevitable.
