Femi Falana, a human rights lawyer, has criticised the Federal and Lagos State governments’ recent increase in school fees, calling it illegal.
In July 2023, the federal government increased Unity School fees from N45,000 to N100,000 per term, representing a more than 120 percent increase.
Similarly, the Lagos State Government stated over the weekend that the new fee for state-owned boarding schools will be N100,000, up from N35,000.
Falana reacted, calling it a violation of the Child’s Rights Law.
He remarked that with the increase being above the Minimum Wage of N70,000, a worker could no longer sponsor even one child, whether at Unity School or any secondary school in Lagos State.
The senior lawyer, however, vowed to challenge the decision in the appropriate High Court.
“The federal government has increased the fee payable in all unity schools from N45,000 to N100,000 per term. Thus, the fee payable per annum is N300,000 per student.
“Similarly, the Lagos State Government has fixed fees payable in all secondary schools at N100,000 per term or N300,000 per annum by every student.
“At N70,000 minimum wage, the salary of a worker per term of four months is N28,000. The implication is that a worker can no longer sponsor even one child either in the unity school or any secondary school in Lagos State.
“However, under the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State Child’s Rights Law, every child is entitled to free and compulsory education from primary to junior secondary school. To that extent, the imposition of N100,000 fees on students in junior secondary schools in Unity Schools and Secondary schools in Lagos is illegal.
“Given the clear provisions of the Child’s Rights Laws applicable in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, the illegal imposition of prohibitive fees on junior secondary school students will be challenged in the appropriate High Court,” he argued.