One week after schools resumed for the 2024/2025 academic session, there has been a noticeable decline in student turnout across primary and secondary schools in major cities nationwide.
Many schools started classes on September 9 following a break of over a month, while others resumed on Tuesday, September 17.
Findings by our correspondents in many schools revealed a decrease in student attendance, with teachers and school managers attributing it to a recent increase in transport fares, which is a direct consequence of the recent hike in fuel prices.
Recently, the NNPC Limited announced a new pricing template that raised pump prices to N950 per litre, with prices reaching as high as N1,000 per litre in some northern states.
The surge in fuel prices has led to a substantial rise in transportation costs, which in turn has had a significant impact on the education sector.
Many schools across the country are reporting lower attendance rates as families struggle with the increased cost of commuting their wards to school.
Kebbi
In Birnin Kebbi, the state capital, there was a noticeably low turnout of students and pupils in several schools on Tuesday.
At Government Secondary School, Gesse, a teacher, Muhammed Abbas, said, “Since the fuel price hike, the number of students attending school from Monday to Friday has drastically reduced.”
Teachers from Army Day Secondary School and Nagari College, Surajo Inuwa and Hadiza Magaji, respectively, confirmed the trend of low student turnout.
Inuwa said, “It’s true that many students did not return to school on Tuesday after the holiday. The increase in transport costs seems to be a major factor, as some students and their families might have stayed home due to the financial strain of higher fares.”
Gombe
Findings by our correspondent in schools within the Gombe metropolis revealed that there is a significant increase in late arrival to schools, in some cases absence, from both the teachers and students.
They cited transportation costs as reasons.
Ibrahim Mohammed, a secondary school student, shared his struggle: “The fuel price hike has made it difficult for my parents to afford my transportation fees to school.”
Mrs Ladi Samuel, a headteacher at a private school in Tumfure, expressed her concern: “It is heartbreaking to see both teachers and students struggling to get to school due to financial constraints. The fuel price hike is definitely affecting our students’ education and overall performance.”
Malam Musa Saleh, a teacher at a private school, noted that teachers have requested the school authorities to allow them to attend on alternate days as a temporary measure to mitigate the issue.
Malam Ahmed Sani, a private school principal, acknowledged the difficulties faced by both school proprietors and management: “We are exploring alternative solutions, but it remains a challenging situation.”
Taraba
In Jalingo, the capital of Taraba State, many parents have opted to transfer their children from distant schools to those closer to home due to the escalating costs of transportation and fuel.
Checks revealed that numerous students who are set to advance to the next grade are still at home, waiting for their parents to provide new uniforms, textbooks, and pay registration fees, which are currently unaffordable due to financial hardships.
The situation is particularly challenging for parents with children in private schools, where new registration fees, uniforms, and textbooks are required for both new students and those advancing to higher classes.
Sule Sani said many students in the two federal government secondary schools in Jalingo have not yet returned due to the high costs.
Kogi
In Kogi State, principals and headmasters said while some degree of absenteeism was expected on the first day of school resumption, the current economic hardship has exacerbated the situation, affecting many families.
Parents and guardians have expressed their frustrations with the situation, describing it as a considerable burden.
Students have also felt the impact, with some resorting to walking long distances to school. Rukayat Adebara, a student at St. Aquinas Secondary School in Lokoja, recounted, “My sister and I walked to school this morning. We saved our transport fares and feeding allowance for the return trip home after school.”
FCT
Several schools visited by our correspondents in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) also witnessed few numbers of pupils.
Teachers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, attributed the low turnout to widespread economic hardships exacerbated by the recent increase in fuel prices.
One teacher remarked, “The recent rise in fuel prices has impacted nearly every sector, particularly affecting the cost of commodities. Many parents are struggling to afford basic necessities, including school uniforms for their children.”
Parent Muazu Abdulkadir echoed these concerns, noting his difficulty in procuring school uniforms for his three children.
He explained, “The economic hardship in the country has made it challenging to gather the necessary funds for school uniforms and other essentials.”
The situation reflects the broader financial strains affecting families across the FCT as they navigate the rising costs of living.
Plateau
In Jos, Plateau State, most primary and secondary school students have resumed classes for the first term, despite ongoing economic difficulties.
Malam Ibrahim, the proprietor of AL-Risala Private Primary and Secondary School, reported that about 80 per cent of students have returned to school.
However, he anticipated challenges ahead when school fees were due.
“Students typically return when schools open. This year, around 80 per cent have resumed, but I expect complaints from parents once we start collecting school fees due to the current economic hardships,” he said.
Babangida Aliyu, a teacher at Aisha Hassan Academy, noted that almost all students have returned for the second week of resumption. “Classes have commenced, and once school fees are settled, we will ensure that students receive the necessary books and materials,” he added.
Kwara
Many public primary and secondary schools in Kwara State reported noticeably low student attendance.
Abubakar Yusuf, a pupil, suggested that some of his peers may have anticipated a low turnout on the first day and chose to stay home, while others were uncertain about the start of classes.
Mr Abdulgafar, a secondary school teacher, attributed the absenteeism to the recent surge in fuel prices, which has significantly increased transport costs.
“The rise in fuel prices has negatively impacted school resumption, leading to increased absenteeism,” he said.
Nasarawa/Niger
Students from TA ‘Al Model School Nursery, Primary, and Junior Secondary School Bukan Sidi, Lafia, as well as Government Junior Secondary School, Lafia East, have voiced their concerns over the sluggish start to academic activities one week after resumption.
In Minna, Niger State, public primary schools visited by our correspondent experienced a low turnout of pupils.
At Anguwan Zakka Primary School in the Gbeganu Area of Minna, a teacher who preferred to remain anonymous confirmed the situation, saying, “The population is low. We resumed last week, but many pupils have not resumed.”
Ondo
In Akure, many schools also witnessed a low turnout of students compared to the previous academic session.
At Estate High School, a teacher, Mrs Abiola, noted that the turnout was lower than expected, even though the school had just resumed.
She expressed understanding of the situation, as parents are struggling with the rising costs of textbooks, uniforms, and other school materials due to the economic hardship.
Similarly, at St Michael Anglican Grammar School, teachers were seen discussing the low attendance. They also said that despite the official resumption, fewer students have reported to school.
There was a similar situation in Ekiti State where teachers complained that the high cost of transportation has increased students’ absenteeism.
Kano/Sokoto
Schools resumed in Kano on Tuesday but very few students turned up in many schools visited by Daily Trust correspondents.
Salisu Yusuf, the principal of Government Secondary School, Tarauni, stated that while they usually have 70-75 per cent turnout on the first day, this time they had less than 50 per cent.
He attributed the drop to the ongoing financial and economic challenges families are facing.
In Sokoto, many parents have opted to withdraw their children from private schools and enrol them in nearby public schools due to the financial burden of high school fees and related costs.
Lagos
Our correspondent reports that many private schools in Lagos State are facing low student turnout.
Parents lamented that the economic situation, including rising school fees, textbook costs, and transportation fares, has made it difficult for them to meet educational expenses.
Some teachers and students, who spoke to Daily Trust, expressed concerns and called on the government to alleviate the plight of the citizens.
The Director, Divine Gems School, Nic Uzor said there has been a mixed feeling since the school’s resumption, stressing that the level of attendance is uncertain, citing the hike in the school fees and textbooks.
Agbaje Wahab, a student of a technical college, said there has been a decline in the number of attendees due to the hike in the cost of transportation.
Teachers in Cross River demand transport allowance
Teachers in Cross River State have urged the state government to provide a special transportation allowance of at least N20,000 per month to help alleviate the high cost of commuting to their respective schools.
They made the call during a phone-in radio programme in Calabar, which was monitored by our correspondent.
The teachers also raised concerns over alleged deductions of N2,000 from their monthly salaries, which they claim were made without any explanation.
In response, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Steve Odey, stated that he was not aware of such deductions.
Meanwhile, checks at various schools in parts of Calabar revealed a noticeable drop in attendance among primary and secondary school students, which is being attributed to the sharp increase in commercial transportation costs, driven by the rising price of fuel. (Daily Trust)
