In Anambra State, Governor Chukwuma Soludo recently announced a free education program to make schooling more accessible.

In September 2023, he introduced a policy providing free, compulsory education up to junior secondary level in public schools. Initially, senior secondary students had to pay a small tuition fee of N5,000, but in a later update, the governor announced that senior secondary students in public schools would also receive free education starting from September 30.

Soludo also ordered refunds for students who had already paid fees, hoping to ease financial pressure and make schooling more affordable.

However, despite this positive move, many families still find education costly. While tuition is free, there are other costs, like textbooks, uniforms, and extra classes, that make it hard for low-income families to fully benefit from the policy. These expenses highlight how education can still be a financial burden even under a free education policy.

One of the biggest expenses is textbooks. Many schools in Anambra State require students to write directly in their textbooks, which are often used as workbooks.

This means that once a child uses a book, it cannot be reused by younger siblings or resold. Parents must buy new textbooks each year, which adds up quickly, especially for families with more than one child in school. These yearly costs make it difficult for families to afford schooling, even though tuition is technically free.

Uniforms are another major cost. Parents must buy uniforms from specific vendors, who often charge high prices. This limited choice means parents cannot look for cheaper options, adding to their expenses.

High uniform costs go against the goal of making education accessible for all because many parents struggle to afford them.

Extramural classes, or after-school tutoring, are yet another expense. Teachers often organize these classes to help students keep up with lessons, but they charge high fees.

Although these classes are not officially required, many parents feel that their children need them to succeed. For families already struggling to cover basic costs, paying for extra classes adds even more pressure and makes the “free” education less accessible.

Recently, the Anambra State House of Assembly discussed these problems. Lawmakers urged the governor to work with the Commissioner for Education to address the high costs of textbooks, uniforms, and extra classes.

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Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme, who led the motion, explained that true free education should include affordable access to all learning materials.

The House also pointed out that the practice of using textbooks as workbooks, making them unusable for other siblings, increases costs for families.

The Assembly members agreed that these added expenses go against the free education policy’s purpose, as they make schooling harder for low-income families.

The Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Somtochukwu Udeze, praised the Assembly’s focus on this issue.

He said that the House has a duty to make sure policies benefit families and suggested creating new laws or changing existing ones to reduce these extra costs.

Anambra’s free education program is a positive step toward making education available to more children, but true affordability requires more than free tuition.

As lawmakers work to tackle these extra expenses, the hope is that free education will one day mean all children can attend school without financial struggles.

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