The rising costs of goods and services have been reflected in the end-of-year party fees for primary and secondary school students. The end-of-year party celebrates the accomplishments of school administrators, staff, and students, marking a successful conclusion to the year.
Students are typically charged moderate fees to help raise funds for gifts, food, drinks, and other party necessities. Many parents and children look forward to these events, as they provide an opportunity to showcase new outfits and social status. However, this year, many parents, already facing the financial strain of Christmas expenses, school supplies, and upcoming tuition fees, have opted out of the festivities. Declining attendance has also been noted among students.
Further investigation revealed that numerous schools raised their party fees by over 50%, making it difficult for parents with multiple children to afford the costs. One parent, Mrs. Folakemi Ifaleke, expressed her frustration, stating, “These school authorities think parents pluck money from trees. How can you increase fees from N5,000 to N15,000 per child? That’s outrageous! While we understand that costs are rising, it needs to be done reasonably. A modest increase to N8,000 would have been more acceptable.”
A parent with three sons enrolled at the school is unhappy about having to pay N45,000 for a party. I told my sons to choose between getting Christmas clothes or attending the party, and they happily chose the party, mentioning that many students didn’t pay.
Mr. Jerry Nwokoma, a motor parts trader, shared that his children’s school requires a fee of N20,000 each for his two younger children and N25,000 each for his two older children in secondary school.
The fees for the school party add up to N90,000, and when his wife mentioned it, he joked about selling his head to afford it. He criticized schools for imposing such high fees and suggested they should opt for more affordable options. His two sons decided not to attend since only 10 out of over 100 students had paid. He believes this reflects that many Nigerians are cutting back on unnecessary expenses and promised his sons a Christmas outing instead.
Teacher Mrs. Chisom Akpota mentioned that her school organized its end-of-year party differently to reduce costs. The management at my school had to reduce costs, knowing that parents wouldn’t accept any increase in the end-of-year party fee. This year, the fee was set at N3,000 each, down from last year’s N5,000. Despite the reduction, only 20 out of 70 students paid.
We opted for a simpler celebration, providing soft drinks, snacks, and gift items for the top-performing students, which we presented during the assembly. The children sang, danced, and prayed while enjoying their treats, and they were very happy.
Some schools didn’t hold end-of-year parties at all due to low payment rates, highlighting how families are making efforts to cut expenses.
Mrs. Omosefunmi Grace, a school proprietress, stated, “It’s important to understand why schools raise their end-of-year party fees. We are fully aware of the rising costs in the market. If we slightly increase the fees from last year and try to provide what we can afford, parents often complain that the gifts don’t match what they paid. These factors contribute to the fee increase.
Indeed, many children didn’t pay their party fees at my school as well, yet we still went ahead with the celebration. As a parent myself, I understand the challenges we face in providing for our children.”