The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Nigeria, has appealed to the government to provide some palliatives for private schools so as to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal.
Speaking on Thursday during a webinar, titled, ‘Government policies and resultant effects on private school administration: a case study on the removal of fuel subsidy,’ NAPPS national president, Dr Yomi Odubela, said the removal of fuel subsidy has had its ripple effect on private school administration.
He identified that transportation costs had soared, cost of goods and services had increased, saying schools were forced to reassess their budget allocations.
Odubela said, “This, in turn, has led to potential increases in tuition fees, placing an additional burden on parents already grappling with economic challenges. Moreover, the increased cost of fuel and other resources may lead to cutbacks in infrastructure development, teacher training programs, and extracurricular activities, which are all vital components of a holistic educational experience.”
He added that the government should provide the following palliatives, “Provide school buses on lease agreement models, sponsor state and private teachers training on a termly basis, education grants for school teachers and administration, open education banks to grant loans to teachers, school owners and parents at single digit and approve tax holiday for teachers and schools.”
Also speaking, renowned economist, Mr Bismarck Rewane, suggested that investment should be made on teachers’ training.
“Schools should request for educational subsidies, request for a tax holiday, reduce the number of physical classes, avoid tuition fees increase as it may face a backlash. “Running of school must have commercial and non-commercial considerations, basic education is compulsory but tertiary education is elitist. The government owes the people to provide basic education, and wage review is inevitable,” he said.
