As at last year, if you paid tuition in dollars for about $1,000, it would amount to N150,000.
Now however, that same $1,000 is close to N500,000, so Nigerian parents who have kids schooling abroad can no longer meet up with tuition fees and have resorted to have their kids come back home to continue their education.
This is the point Genevieve Magazine publisher, Betty Irabor made in a series of tweets that subsequently led to a conversation online.
My thought this morning is all abt students who have to return to Nigeria cos their parents can no longer afford sch fees in $ and £,
— Betty Irabor (@BettyIrabor) October 18, 2016
How do you even begin that conversation with your child? “You have to return to Nig dear, we can’t afford your sch fees anymore becos of..?”
— Betty Irabor (@BettyIrabor) October 18, 2016
I know a parent who is bringing home her 9 and 13 years old girls. She says it’s very traumatic for them to leave their sch in the UK..
— Betty Irabor (@BettyIrabor) October 18, 2016
I remember how I felt when I left Ireti girls school ikoyi for another school in Yaba after my parents split,but it turned out a blessing
— Betty Irabor (@BettyIrabor) October 18, 2016
For God,s sake why cant we overhaul our educational system? In Unilag we had foreign students from countries where we now send our kids
— Betty Irabor (@BettyIrabor) October 18, 2016
And the discussion began…
@BettyIrabor it is a very saddening situation and I pray we all survive this phase cos some people are becoming suicidal cos of it
— Meghan (@iam_mystiquee) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor u can say dat again o! From d ‘culture shock’, to d pidgin (which I quickly learned by d way) , to d quality & den friends!
— Machiavelli (@Kaygee72448) October 18, 2016
It’s sad, very sad. It’s tough but a couple of private schools can help ameliorate the pain locally. It’s only a temporary blip https://t.co/f4xc5dSx31
— Onome Okwah (@omookwah) October 18, 2016
Exactly, you can imagine Nigerian parents sending their kids to universities in Benin republic,what a shame https://t.co/TvCmtRxMlv
— Joseph N. Gbagir (@JGbagir) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor I know. Everyone is feeling the pain. But the misery is those who are benefitting from this wants it to fester…like subsidy https://t.co/t9oK96jSEu
— Onome Okwah (@omookwah) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor@ChicoRockx My dear sister it’s just crazy and it’s the reality of the times we live in. Painful but true..
— Macy Gray of Radio (@Schullzz66) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor hmmmmmmm. Just had a counselling sessions with one of such parents this morning. Unimaginable pain for the children…..
— Ini Onuk (@inionuk) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor Sis, it is so crushing for the parents. And these are people who work really hard for their money.
— Ini Onuk (@inionuk) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor Currently in Ghana exams are ongoing in so many Universities and over 90% of Nigerian Students have not been able to pay fees
— Wisdom Chapp-Jumbo (@Mr_Wizzo) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor The Association of Nigerian Students in Ghana @NANS_Ghana has done it’s best to handle the issues but it’s just too much.
— Wisdom Chapp-Jumbo (@Mr_Wizzo) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor School mgt. here in Ghana are getting tired of students pleading everyday. Every medium to receive money from Nigeria blocked
— Wisdom Chapp-Jumbo (@Mr_Wizzo) October 18, 2016
Can’t imagine how the parents feel. People work so hard to give their children the best and right now it seems their best isn’t good enough https://t.co/lSwcLgbV3K
— Yewande Ojofeitimi (@WendyMagnifique) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor what’s worse than missing your final semester and watching your mates graduates in 3 months time when you shld be among them
— Eleven (@yourgirlshere09) October 18, 2016
@gossyomega@BettyIrabor 2 of my cousins have returned from Paris and London cause of the issue,it’s very sad
— odehbryanblog (@munchkin_afoke) October 18, 2016
@munchkin_afoke I wish them the very beat and hopefully they can return in good time and get the best education possible @BettyIrabor
— Gossy Ukanwoke (@gossyomega) October 18, 2016
@BettyIrabor
School fees for one session now equivalent to school fees for two sessions plus a term in Naira and businesses are down— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) October 18, 2016