Back to school: School owners speak on parents’ performance

Prior to school resumption, there were concerns about parents’ ability to meet up with their financial obligation to the various schools their children are enrolled in a harsh economy. Visiting four different private schools in Ketu, Ogudu, and Lagos Island, Women’s Hub learnt that parents have been doing well in terms of paying schools, and visiting the school to observe the activities, we observed that they have met the monetary expectations of school owners.

Compared to last session, some of the Proprietresses averred that parental response to financial commitment was better. “In fact, this is my best term”, one of them said.

“I was expecting them to come to school or tell someone to rather follow their children to school. And I believe that at the beginning of any school session, every parent should come to the school and see things for themselves,” Esther Arowosola, Proprietress of Mopem, Nursery, primary, and secondary school said, speaking of what she expected from the parents of her students.

“Most of them came by themselves to check the list of books and make payments. Since Monday (resumption) they’ve been buying books. The response to the buying of books and every other stationary has been good, in fact, better than last year, and they are still coming,” she said.

“The response from parent so far has been fantastic. A good number paid school fees before resumption. Though there are still the bad eggs, so far, I have responsible parents, but it can only be God and his grace upon this school,” Fountain Brooks Montessori Proprietress, Uju Anazodo told Women’s Hub.

At Winners Treasure Nursery and Primary school, only ten per cent of the parents have responded positively according to the estimation of the Proprietress, Busayo Mercy Ndwuku, who blamed it on poor planning.

“What we expected them to do was to plan, because by vacation in July, they were already given the list of books, and the necessary things they are to prepare for the students before resuming. But many, due to the economy, or whatever they complain of, have not really been able to prepare for these things. They’ve always been complaining about money.

“But some have really prepared, and that will be about ten per cent whose children resumed and they were buying the necessary books. However, almost ninety per cent of them will tell you when the month ends, even those who are not salary earners. They are doing something but not up to what is expected,” she said.

Rocking one of the crèche pupils in her arms at De Royal Nursery and Primary School, Lagos Island, the head teacher, Bashua Oluwasheyi said the school expected parents to make part-payment of the fees. “In their last term school letter, we told them that if they are able to pay the full payment before resumption, they will be given an additional new school uniform for the pupil if the parents are able to pay before we resumed. So we expected parents to, at least, pay half of it before resumption due to the economic situation.

“So far, the parents have been encouraging. Part-payments have been made, and they have been able to meet up with the expectations, the textbooks, and part-payments of the school fees,” she said, and adds: “They are trying”.

Desmond Okon