INFLATION: Enugu: Parents Switching Kids From Private To Public Schools

Following the increasing high cost of transportation, books and school fees, especially in private schools in Enugu, many parents, Friday, told THE WHISTLER that they were set to switch their wards to nearby government schools, saying the situation “is becoming unbearable”.

Christopher Ozioko has his daughter at a popular private school located at the Independence Layout, Enugu.

He said, “The school bus picks my daughter everyday, to and from the school. Their charge on transportation was relatively within my scope. But this term, the transport fare alone tripled. I’m not talking about the fees, books, and feeding. My income hasn’t increased. The only option is to change her to a public school close to our estate. Good enough, it is a walkable distance.”

Mike Odo, a policeman, said, “I switched my two sons to a government school last week. They returned from their former school, privately owned, and brought fees that are beyond me. I quickly changed them. I have chosen to join the PTA of the school, so we can initiate ways of making public schools more result-oriented.”

Dr Polycap Ugada is an educationist. He said, “If not due to bad attitude, government schools should be more sought after. I know many government schools with doctorate degree holders as teachers. They are also better paid. But because of poor attitude, they allow private schools to dominate the scene based on discipline and standards. I advise government regulatory agencies to wake up and save our schools.

“Already, the current hyper inflation is sending many people out of school. There must be collective efforts to reposition our public schools before a wider illiteracy gap is created in the life of this country.”

A school proprietor, Ifeoma Odenigbo, said private schools are at risk of the inflation in the country.

According to her, “Private school teachers also want increase in their take-home pay. The hike in petroleum products has increased the cost of maintaining school buses. So parents must pay more. Many are already over-stretched, and can no longer cope. About fifteen parents have withdrawn their kids from my school. You simply don’t seem them again.”