EDITORIAL: Painful Back-To-School Today

This morning, schools will reopen across Osun State and the country. For the majority of parents, however, the return to school has already been a painful experience.

Parents who are already struggling with a punishing cost-of-living crisis must now contend with inflation-driven increases in school fees and the rising cost of educational materials.

The cost of school bags, for instance, has risen sharply. A second-hand school bag can now cost as much as ₦10,000 — a significant amount in a country where the minimum wage is ₦70,000. And the expenses do not end there.

Transportation to and from school has also become increasingly expensive, worsened by the rising cost of fuel, including PMS and diesel. It is now common to see people alighting before their usual bus stops or walking part of the journey simply to save money. It is a deeply difficult period for parents and pupils alike.

The reality on the streets debunks the increasingly familiar claim that “things are getting better.” For many families, things are not getting better. They are getting harder, and something must be done.

The Osun State Government ought to have anticipated this pressure and developed practical interventions to cushion the burden on families. For instance, the government could have planned the deployment of alternative-fuel-powered school buses — using CNG or electric power — across school districts to reduce transportation costs for pupils.

Such interventions should have been conceived and prepared months ago, rather than waiting until parents are already overwhelmed.

The government could also have negotiated bulk-purchase arrangements and discounted pricing for exercise books, textbooks and other essential school materials directly with printers and publishers. Such a framework would have reduced costs for parents and ensured that basic educational materials remained within reach.

Ultimately, what we are witnessing today is another reflection of the apparent thoughtlessness and lack of urgency within the political establishment. Families are being left to bear the weight of an economic crisis largely on their own.

That is a crying shame.