Human rights attorney Femi Falana expressed disapproval of the recent increase in school fees implemented by the Federal and Lagos State governments, stating that it is unlawful.
The federal government raised Unity Schools’ fees from N45,000 to N100,000 each term in July 2023, a rise of more than 120%.
In a similar spirit, the Lagos State Government raised the tuition for the state-owned boarding institutions from N30,000 to N100,000 over the weekend.
Falana reacted by claiming that it was against the Child’s Rights Law.
He bemoaned the fact that a worker could no longer sponsor even one child at Unity School or any other secondary school in Lagos State because the increase was higher than the Minimum Wage of N70,000.
But the senior attorney promised to appeal the ruling at the relevant High Court.
The price for all unity schools has been raised by the federal government from N45,000 to N100,000 every term. Consequently, each student must pay a charge of N300,000 annually.
In a same vein, all secondary schools in Lagos State are required to pay tuition of N100,000 every term or N300,000 annually to all students.
“A worker makes N28,000 per four months at the minimum pay of N70,000. It follows that a worker is no longer able to sponsor a single student at the Unity School or any other secondary school in Lagos State.
But every kid has the right to free and compulsory education from elementary school through junior secondary school under the kid’s Rights Act and the Lagos State Child’s Rights Law. That’s why it’s unlawful to charge junior secondary school students at Unity Schools and secondary schools in Lagos N100,000.
The unlawful imposition of expensive fees on junior secondary school children would be contested in the relevant High Court, he stated, given the explicit provisions of the Child’s Rights Laws that apply in all of the Federation’s states and the Federal Capital Territory, or FCT.
