Economic Hardship Forces Parents to Switch Schools, Some Institutions Inflate Scores to Retain Pupils

The rising cost of living in Nigeria has compelled many parents to withdraw their children from expensive schools and enroll them in more affordable ones.

Parents cite soaring transportation fares, increased tuition fees, high textbook costs, and new demands such as uniforms and sportswear as major reasons for the shift. For others, poor academic performance has made them question the value of paying high fees.

In response, some school managements are allegedly adopting questionable tactics to stop parents from leaving, including inflating students’ scores.

Mrs. Kemisola Muyiwa, a former nursery school teacher, confirmed the practice:
“Many schools are coming up with various tactics to retain parents taking their children out of their schools. You know the economy is not smiling and nobody has the money to waste. When parents see their children failing, they want to change their schools. As someone who has taught in a private nursery school before, we were told by our director to add scores to the pupils who didn’t perform well so that their parents won’t get angry and change their schools.”

In the past, parents would allow underperforming children to repeat classes. This system motivated students to improve academically. But today, that culture has declined, with schools more concerned about keeping pupils enrolled.

Mrs. Helen Onanuga, a businesswoman, shared her experience:
“My son is in Junior Secondary School. Recently, I changed his school to a less expensive one because their fees are expensive and his performance is poor. Also, the distance from home to the school is far. I told the school of my plan to take him to another school. All of a sudden, my son whose performance wasn’t encouraging started scoring high marks.

“As a person who has taught before, I knew something was wrong. I decided to test my son on the same things he was taught and he failed woefully. I was very sad. But I knew they were trying to retain patronage but in a way that would kill my son’s future. I eventually changed his school. If I weren’t observant, I would have fallen for such a scam. I pity many parents.”

Meanwhile, some schools have introduced flexible payment options for tuition, textbooks, and uniforms. However, others continue to impose lump-sum payments, placing heavy burdens on parents.

Mr. Joseph Amedu, a guidance and counselling professional, warned that score manipulation poses long-term harm to students:
“Increasing a child’s score at the detriment of retaining patronage is unprofessional. Yes, the child will be promoted to the next class where his intellect may not fit in. Such a child that has been helped all through his years in school cannot perform intellectually when he eventually leaves the school. He will keep manipulating his ways in any area he finds himself throughout his lifetime and the result will be drastic.”

For many parents and educators, the economic crisis has not only changed how schools operate but also raised concerns about the future quality of education in the country.