• FCT teachers to begin indefinite strike over ‘unmet’ demands
Parents nationwide are expressing growing concern about the rising cost of education as schools resume for the third term today, amid inflation that continues to erode household incomes and stretch family budgets.

Many families said the combined burden of higher school fees, transportation costs, uniforms, books, and other essential supplies has become increasingly difficult to manage, forcing some to make tough financial decisions or seek alternatives.

According to the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) last week, Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose to 15.38 per cent in March 2026, up from 15.06 per cent recorded in February.

The Guardian reports that the steady rise in inflation has translated into higher prices across the board, including education-related expenses.

For many parents/guardians, the impact is immediate and severe. Private school operators, citing increased operational costs such as electricity, rent, and staff salaries, have implemented tuition fee increases, even as public schools are not immune to inflation, and ancillary charges continue to climb.

Abuja, the hike in fuel prices has also taken a toll on school bus services operated by schools, as institutions are forced to either raise transport fees or scale back routes and trip frequencies to cope with escalating fuel and maintenance costs, further straining parents already grappling with rising living expenses.

Findings indicate that school bus charges in the country’s capital range from N100,000 to N200,000 per child per month, depending on the distance travelled. For parents with three children, this translates to an outlay of between N300,000 and N600,000 monthly for the prepaid service.

For a father of two, Cyril Odiakose, the situation has forced him to reassess his household priorities, cutting back on non-essential expenses and exploring more affordable schooling alternatives to keep up with rising costs.

He said the steady increase in tuition and transportation fees has placed significant pressure on his finances, noting that what used to be manageable expenses have now become a major monthly burden.

Also, a mother of three, Funke Adebayo, lamented that the cost of school transportation alone now rivals tuition fees, describing the situation as unsustainable for many middle-income families.

It was also observed that while some families have turned to social media appeals to cover tuition costs, a few others depend on support from relatives and friends.

Education stakeholders warn that if the trend persists, it could widen inequality in access to quality education, as more families may be forced to withdraw their children from private schools or opt for less expensive alternatives.

They therefore called on the government to consider targeted interventions, including subsidies and policies to cushion the impact of inflation on education, to ensure that children are not deprived of learning opportunities due to economic hardship.

Meanwhile, primary and secondary school teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will begin an indefinite strike today over “unmet” demands.

The state wing executive council of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) in the FCT gave the directive at the end of an emergency meeting at the weekend. The communique was jointly signed by State Chairman, Abdullahi Shafa, Secretary, Margaret Jethroand, and Publicity Secretary, Ibukun Adekeye.

The council expressed concern about the delay in implementing a report outlining the teachers’ demands. The report was submitted in 2025 after the teachers had called off a three-month strike over outstanding entitlements.