The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools in Nigeria has urged the government to give private schools some palliatives in order to lessen the impact of the elimination of fuel subsidies.
A case study on the removal of fuel subsidies was presented on Thursday during a webinar with the title “Government policies and resultant effects on private school administration.” The removal of the fuel subsidy, according to Dr. Yomi Odubela, national president of NAPPS, has had an impact on the management of private schools.
He noted that the price of goods and services had increased, as well as transportation costs, and claimed that schools had been forced to review their budgetary allotments.
According to Odubela, this has resulted in potential tuition fee increases, adding to the burden on parents who are already facing financial difficulties. In addition, the rising cost of fuel and other resources could force reductions in extracurricular activities, teacher training programmes, and infrastructure development, all of which are essential parts of a comprehensive educational experience.
The following palliatives, he continued, should be offered by the government: “Provide school buses on lease agreement models, sponsor state and private teachers training on a term-by-term basis, education grants for school teachers and administration, open education banks to grant loans to teachers, school owners, and parents at single-digit interest rates, and approve tax holiday for teachers and schools.”
During his remarks, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, a renowned economist, also advocated for funding teacher training.
“Schools should ask for educational subsidies, a tax holiday, fewer physical education classes, and to avoid raising tuition fees because of potential backlash. “School administration must take both commercial and non-commercial factors into account; while basic education is required, higher education is exclusive. A wage review is unavoidable, and the government owes the people basic education, he said.
