Recession: Parents send children to school without textbooks

Two days after the resumption of schools in Lagos State, school proprietors say many of the students returned without reading and writing materials.

In separate interviews with NAN, the school owners told NAN that it was unusual for pupils to start a new academic session without at least 70 per cent of their textbooks ready.

Ifejola Dada, president of the Association for Formidable Education Development, confirmed that in her school, most pupils resumed school without textbooks.

Dada said this was a new development unlike what obtained in the past when pupils resumed on the first day with their school materials ready.

She attributed the development to the current recession in the country.

“We are not talking about the school fees now because it is obvious that the recession is biting hard on parents and guardians,” she said.

“We could not even increase the school fees but what we are battling now is the children’s readiness for school as indicated by the purchase of textbooks.”

Kalu Orji, proprietor, Rockford Private School, Ikorodu, said the effect of the recession on students and their parents was very visible.

Orji said apart from parents of new intakes who had met the school requirements, regular pupils were still to meet up with the demands of the new session.

“Before resumption, I had to put things in place in my school since it was a new session to make the parents happy on resumption,” he said.

“However, it was not easy because funds were limited as a result of poor response to fee payment and the hike in the prices of things.

“Parents and pupils are affected because most of the pupils do not have the necessary school items yet.’’

Also Gladys Grimes, proprietress, Gladys and Grimes Educational Service, Alagbado, said there was an exceptionally low turnout of students for the new session.

She said it was difficult to tell whether the students had met the requirements for resumption because of the low turnout.

Grimes added that resumption was usually not rapid but that turnout had been exceptionally low this session.