Resumption: Ondo parents decry high cost of educational materials, transport fare

With students resuming the 2024/2025 academic session in Ondo State on Tuesday, some parents have expressed frustration over the high costs of educational materials and transport fares.

According to the parents and guardians who were in a last-minute rush to buy school supplies for their wards, the financial burdens were already taking a toll on their finances and health.

Monitoring the situation in Akure, the state capital, many parents besieged bookshops and schools to buy textbooks, stationery, uniforms, and necessary school supplies.

Similarly, the hike in transport fares due to the current fuel situation in the country has further compounded the situation, which will force many parents to spend a larger portion of their finances on getting their children to and from school.

The parents, who lamented that the prices have surged astronomically compared to previous years, alleged that some school heads, particularly principals, have been extorting them with the sales of uniforms and books, which they said contradicted the directives of the state market.

Speaking of the situation, a parent who identified herself as Mrs. Dorcas Akinkunmi said, “I never imagined that buying just the basics for my children would cost me this much.

“The prices of books and uniforms have doubled, and on top of that, transport fares have also increased. It’s overwhelming.”

While seeking intervention over the development, a parent who simply gave his name as Biodun said, “Education should not be a privilege for the few. We urge the government to consider subsidies or support to help cope with these rising costs.”

Meanwhile, some of the parents expressed dismay that some principals were selling uniforms and textbooks within the school, contrary to the earlier directive by the state government that secondary school principals should desist from extorting parents and guardians under the guise of collecting fees for the education of their wards.

The parents all reiterated the need for solutions that are sustainable, not just temporary fixes.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa on Transportation, Gbenga Omole, has assured parents that shuttle buses would resume operation on the first day of the new academic session to ease the burden of a hike in transport fares for students.

Omole also hinted that plans were being concluded to introduce CNG buses in Ondo State as part of measures to cushion the effect of economic hardship in the country.