Some dad and mom in Lagos State have lamented the rise in bus fares of their kids’s faculties throughout the state as faculties within the state resumed for second time period on Monday.
The dad and mom, who spoke with The PUNCH in separate interviews on Monday, decried the hike and its frequency whereas calling on the federal government for regulation.
James Goriola, who spoke with our correspondent within the Ketu space of the state, mentioned it was worrisome that his kids’s college elevated its bus price for 2 consecutive phrases.
“After they resumed for the primary time period in September final 12 months, they elevated the bus fare by over 100 per cent. They claimed it was because of the financial state of affairs of the nation.
“Now once more, as they only resumed for the second time period, they’ve elevated the fare once more by virtually 40 per cent. That is an excessive amount of,” Goriola mentioned.
One other mother or father, Mrs Bukola Bolaji, famous that her son’s college elevated its bus fare for 2 consecutive phrases, saying “the federal government wants to control these non-public faculties correctly.”
“We’re all dealing with the identical financial challenges. Nobody is spared. Why are they including to folks’ hardships? We pays college charges, which lots of them enhance anytime and anyhow they like; after which cost for a faculty bus can be being elevated,” Bolaji added.
Equally, a mother or father, who merely gave his identify as Bidemi, mentioned he virtually stopped his kids from utilizing their college bus due to the hike.
He mentioned, “I didn’t need my kids to proceed utilizing their college bus. Cash just isn’t straightforward to return by. Why will they preserve growing college charges and bus fares?”
Talking with The PUNCH, a faculty proprietor who pleaded anonymity, mentioned the hike in bus fare was for the upkeep of the varsity’s autos.
“We have to preserve the autos. We have to purchase gasoline. The pump worth of petrol is on the rise. Automobiles’ spare elements are expensive too. So, it’s not our fault,” he mentioned.
Responding to an inquiry by our correspondent, the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Primary and Secondary Schooling, Mr Ganiu Lawal, mentioned the federal government had no regulatory position with regard to the charges charged by non-public faculties within the state.
“The one regulatory position the federal government performs is to guarantee that if anyone is organising a non-public college, that college should have some conditions, a part of which is that the security of the kid should be ensured, the curriculum to be taught follows the nationwide curriculum and the coverage of Lagos.
“However by way of how a lot the assorted faculties cost, you recognize, that relies on what they’re providing. We are able to solely enchantment that personal college house owners ought to permit dad and mom ‘to breathe’ contemplating the tough economic system of the nation,” Lawal added.
The PUNCH reviews that transportation prices and costs of things have skyrocketed since June following the elimination of gasoline subsidy by the Federal Authorities.
In October, the Nationwide Bureau of Statistics put the inflation fee within the nation at 27.33 per cent.