By FUNMILAYO ADEYEMI

Stakeholders in Nigeria?s education sector have expressed deep concern over mounting reports that Unity Colleges and public basic schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are imposing illegal hidden charges on students.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja, the stakeholders said the hidden charges are arbitrary and negate the clear provisions of Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act on free and compulsory basic education.

They warned that the increasingly common practice of masking school fees as levies or mandatory items, undermines the government?s commitment to providing free basic education and can force many children out of school.

NAN reports that in-spite of the UBE Act?s clear mandate for free and compulsory basic education, unity schools in the FCT are collecting as high as N300,000 in disguised charges from a student.

Some other public FCT boarding and day schools are also collecting from N120,000 to N200,000 in different charges before registering students who gained admission into their schools.

The stakeholders described the trend as a dangerous violation of the law, cautioning that the hidden levies threaten to push vulnerable children out of school.

Specifically, they said the practice, often hidden under uniforms, administrative levies, and PTA-imposed items, raised serious concerns about accessibility, and could trigger a rise in school dropouts.

NAN reports that the UBE Act of 2004 mandates that the Nigerian government provides free and compulsory education for all children up to the junior secondary school level.

The Act makes it illegal to charge fees for public primary and junior secondary schools and holds parents accountable for ensuring their children to attend school.

However, the NAN investigations revealed that in the receipt issued to students by the schools, the column for school fees is deliberately written zero, while the charges are wrapped in mandatory items, administrative levies and PTA-imposed obligations.

Others vary from uniform, locker, bunk space, medical test and a whole lots of other charges that amounted to the over N300,000.

A parent, whose child gained admission into JSS 1 in Government Science School, Maitama, a unity school, gave a breakdown of the money that was paid.

The breakdown are: Parent feeding contribution charges-N36,000 Parent sundry contribution- N7,400, Material charges ? N18,375, PTA Support ? N16,500.

The payment included, Books ? N88,000. Admission letter ? N10,000 Guidance and Counselling ? N5,000, Lab coat ? N5,000

Others were, Locker ? 30,000, Mattress ? N25,000, Pillow ? N2,000, school toiletries ? N16,000, hostel toiletries- N22,000 as well as other unreceipted payments.

The parent who preferred not to be named, because of fear of identifying the child for possible victimisation, said he had to sell his personal belongings to raise the money.

He called on the Federal Ministry of Education and the FCT Education Board to look into the issues and take some decisive steps to reverse the trend.

At the Government Junior Secondary School, Phase 4, Kubwa, another parent simply identified as Jonah said he coughed out N123,000 for his daughter who secured admission into JSS One.

Also at a public school in Nyanya, Mrs Esther Asabe, a mother of three, said she had no option but to pay to secure her child?s space.

?They told us JSS 1 is free, but when you get there, they will give you a list of things you must pay for and buy from the school.

?The list included uniforms, cardigans, sportswear, badges, files, PTA levy, development Levy and so on.

The items and the payments amounted to N92,000. How is that free education?? she queried..

At a school in Gwagwalada axis, Mr Alhassan Ibrahim, narrated how he struggled to meet the hidden charges demand, before his son was allowed into JSS 1.

?The school said government did not release enough funds, so parents must contribute.

?I paid about N107,000 including ?development levy? and PTA dues. If you don?t pay, your child will not be admitted,? he said.

For some parents, particularly low-income earners, the situation has pushed their children out of school or delayed their enrolment.

A JSS 3 student in Masaka, who preferred to be called Divine, revealed that it was difficult for her parent to pay her fees.

She said her fees were being paid by good samaritans every term, because the parents could not afford the fees.

?Last year, I was sent back home because my parents could not pay the charges, after completing the payment for uniforms and books the school asked us to buy,? she said

The National President, Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (PTA), Boniface Odeh, described the situation as ?disheartening? that could prevent the Nigerian child from having good and qualitative education.

Odeh lamented that many parents were allegedly being forced to pay ?exorbitant fees and make mandatory purchases?, calling the development a clear breach of the UBE Act and a major barrier to access to quality education.

?As a stakeholder in the education sector, I strongly condemn these practices and urge the authorities to take immediate action to enforce the law,? he said.

The PTA President also called on the Ministry of Education, the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and other relevant bodies to launch a thorough investigation into the allegations and impose sanctions on schools found culpable.

Beyond government intervention, he encouraged affected parents to unite and form a coalition to advocate for their rights, insisting that collective action was crucial to ensuring strict compliance with the Act.

Odeh also appealed to the government to increase funding for public schools, arguing that improved resource allocation would reduce the pressure on schools and eliminate the temptation to impose illegal charges.

?It is only through coordinated efforts that we can guarantee our children the quality education they deserve.

?Our children are our future, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they have access to quality education,? he said.

Meanwhile, some school administrators have defended the charges, insisting that the schools had limited funds to manage their growing population.

A vice principal of a public secondary school in Abuja, who requested anonymity because she was not authorised to speak, argued that the government provided teachers, but funds for maintenance, exams, curricular activities, and security were not sufficient.

She said parents are aware of the situation and the PTA supported the schools in some areas.

She maintained that the fees were not ?compulsory tuition,? but ?necessary contributions.?

Another school owner, Mrs Funmilayo Shoyoye, stressed that though education is free, one cannot rule out the fact that there are other charges that the parents must pay to make their children/wards remain in school.

According to her, the schools do run on generator, photocopies are made and a whole lot of other services that must be paid for.

?Yes, education is meant to be free, but commitments must have to be made by both parents and schools to give these children the qualitative education they desire,? she said.

Stakeholders, however, maintained that education remains a human right and should be made free, because Section 2 of the UBE Act makes basic education compulsory and free. (NAN)

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