Falana knocks Lagos Government over fees increment for boarding students

Femi Falana, a prominent human rights lawyer, has criticized the recent hike in school fees imposed by both the federal and Lagos State governments, labeling the moves as illegal.

The federal government had raised the fees for Unity Schools from N45,000 to N100,000 per term in July 2023, representing a 120% increase.

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Similarly, Lagos State has recently set the new fee for its boarding schools at N100,000, up from N35,000.

Falana contends that these fee increments contravene the Child’s Rights Act and Lagos State’s Child’s Rights Law.

He noted that with the new fees surpassing the N70,000 minimum wage, it is now beyond the means of a typical worker to afford schooling for even one child in these institutions.

Falana has pledged to challenge these fees in the High Courts, arguing that they violate the right to free and compulsory education as guaranteed by law.

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He also highlighted a recent revelation by Dr. Hamid Bobboyi, Executive Secretary of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), that over N45.7 billion in matching grants allocated for Universal Basic Education between 2020 and 2023 remains unutilized by many state governments.