Basic Education in Nigeria is considered free, but the what many families quietly experience is that while tuition may be free, school is not entirely without cost. Across public primary schools, there are small but mandatory levies – development fees, PTA contributions, administrative charges, and other related payments.
On paper, they may seem minor. In reality, for low-income households, they can become barriers. When these levies go unpaid, children are often sent home.Earlier this month in Abuja, that was the reality for several pupils across three LEA primary schools. Some had already been asked to leave class due to outstanding payments.
Hence, Beyond the Classroom Foundation (BTCF), in partnership with GIVING, a digital giving platform developed by Sterling One Foundation (SOF), stepped in to close that gap.
Through its Set For School Project, BTCF cleared outstanding levies and distributed essential learning materials for 80 children at LEA Primary School Durumi II, LEA Primary School Damangaza, and LEA Primary School Karonmajigi.
In several instances, pupils who had been sent home earlier that morning were called back and returned to class the same day once payments were confirmed.
According to Executive Director, BTCF, Raquel Kasham Daniel, “We often say education is free, but the reality is that small levies still stand between some children and their classrooms. Sometimes the difference between staying in school and being sent home is not a large amount, it is a small but urgent payment.”
At LEA Primary School Damangaza in Lokogoma, the impact was immediate. According to the Head Teacher, Mr. Emmanuel Thomas, once the fees were settled, affected pupils resumed classes without delay. “When these levies are cleared, you can see the relief. The children are able to focus again. It removes pressure from both the pupils and the school.”
At LEA Primary School Durumi II, the Head Teacher, Mrs. Rahila Njengo, noted that although tuition is waived, required levies continue to affect some families. “What may appear small to others can be significant for certain households. This support ensured that our pupils continued learning without interruption.”
The intervention also reached vulnerable children from a nearby Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. Fifteen of the supported pupils at Karonmajigi are from the camp.
Through collaboration with GIVING, BTCF demonstrated that timely intervention, even around relatively small amount, can prevent disruption and keep children learning. Sometimes, keeping a child in school is not about a large policy shift. It is about responding to the small needs that matter most.
