Parents Face Fresh Financial Pressure As Schools Resume

Primary and secondary schools across Nigeria have begun reopening for the first term of the 2025/2026 academic year, putting fresh financial pressure on parents and guardians.

Some parents who spoke with LEADERSHIP confirmed struggles to meet the rising cost of school fees, uniforms, bags, books, transport and other essential items.

In Abuja, schools resumed on Monday, September 7, 2026, although findings indicate that some boarding school students are expected to return on September 14, depending on the individual schools’ academic calendars.

The resumption date varies across states, as schools are operating according to different academic calendars and directives issued by their respective education authorities.

In Rivers State, unlike Abuja, primary and secondary schools are scheduled to resume for the 2026/2027 academic session on Monday, September 7, 2026, following a directive from the State Ministry of Education.

In Kano State, boarding students also resumed on Monday, while day students are expected to resume on Tuesday, while in Ibadan, schools are expected to commence the new academic session on September 14.

Some private schools in Lagos also resumed with teachers reporting for duty on 7th September, while full academic activities for students are expected to begin from September 14.

The differences in resumption dates have showed the varying policies adopted by state governments and individual schools across the country.

But regardless of the date, parents are already feeling the financial burden of getting their children ready. For some families, resumption means more than simply paying school fees.

Parents are expected to provide uniforms, textbooks, exercise books, writing materials, school bags, lunch boxes and transport fares, among other necessities.

Some families with children in boarding schools also have to provide food items and other supplies required by their schools.

For low-income households, meeting all these demands at once can prove difficult, especially when families are already dealing with rising costs of accommodation, food, transportation and other basic necessities.

An Abuja based parent, Mrs Peace Terver, whose children attend Grace Academy, said her children could not resume on Monday because she had been unable to raise enough money to provide some of their basic school requirements.

“My children could not resume today because I was unable to get some of the basic things they need for school. We still have school fees to sort out, and I have not been able to buy their bags and writing materials.’

She said the situation had left her under considerable pressure because she did not want her children to return to school without the necessary materials, adding that she hoped to raise the money as soon as possible.

“I don’t want them to go back and feel different from other children because they don’t have what they need. The problem is that everything is expensive now, and when you calculate school fees, bags, books, uniforms and other things for more than one child, it becomes a lot of money,” she added.

Another parent, Mr Collins Moji, said his three children might not return to school until after the second week of the new academic session because of additional expenses arising from a recent change of accommodation.

Moji said that after paying for accommodation in a different location, she and her family discovered that the distance would make it difficult for the children to continue attending their former school.

“We may not be able to resume until after the second week because I have three children and there are many things to settle. We recently paid for accommodation in another location, and because of the distance, the children cannot continue going to their former school,” he said.

He added that moving the children to new schools would create another round of expenses, including admission fees, school fees, uniforms, books and other requirements, which the family was not financially prepared to handle immediately.

“Right now, I have to source money for the new admissions before I can even think of buying everything they need. It is not that we don’t want the children to resume; we simply need to get the money together. With three children, the expenses can become overwhelming very quickly,” Moji said.

Transportation is another major concern, particularly for families whose children attend schools far from home.

Rising transport costs is adding  significantly to the monthly expenses of households, while parents in Abuja and other major cities may also have to contend with long distances and traffic congestion.

The situation is particularly challenging for parents whose children are changing schools. Apart from regular school fees, such families may be required to pay admission and registration charges, obtain new uniforms and purchase materials prescribed by the new school.

The resumption period therefore presents a mixed experience for Nigerian families. While some children are returning to school with excitement and anticipation, others may have to wait until their parents are financially able to meet the demands.