Opinion

When Education Becomes A Luxury

By Yahaya Abdulrahman 

Growing up, we were constantly reminded that education is the bedrock of every society. It was presented not merely as a pathway to personal success but as the foundation for national development, social progress and economic prosperity. That belief shaped public policy for decades.

Governments at different levels, traditional institutions, religious bodies and well-meaning individuals invested in expanding access to education. Schools were built, scholarships were awarded, and tuition was either free or heavily subsidized. There was even a time when governments enacted and enforced laws compelling parents to enroll their school-age children in school. Education mattered. It was treated as a right, not a privilege.

Today, that philosophy appears to be fading.

Across virtually all levels, education is becoming increasingly unaffordable, particularly for the poor who make up the majority of Nigeria's population. Not long ago, the Federal Government approved a substantial increase in tuition fees for federal tertiary institutions. The increase was staggering and came at a time when millions of Nigerians were already struggling under the weight of economic hardship.

Businesses have become more expensive to operate. Food prices continue to soar. Transportation, healthcare and other essential services are consuming an ever-growing share of household income. While many families are still trying to cope with these realities, the announcement of an 85 percent increase in NECO registration fees has further deepened concerns about access to education.

To many Nigerians, these developments create the impression—rightly or wrongly—that education is no longer receiving the priority it once did. Instead, it risks becoming a luxury reserved for children from affluent homes, while talented young people from less privileged backgrounds are denied opportunities simply because they cannot afford the cost.

No nation can deliberately price education beyond the reach of its people and expect sustainable development. The consequences are already visible in rising poverty, unemployment, hunger, poor health outcomes and worsening insecurity. An uneducated population is more vulnerable to manipulation, crime and hopelessness, while an educated population is better equipped to drive innovation, productivity and national growth.

If Nigeria is truly committed to building a prosperous and secure future, then expanding—not restricting—access to quality education should remain a national priority. Policies that make education increasingly inaccessible deserve careful review, especially at a time when many families are already under severe economic pressure.

The future of any nation is shaped in its classrooms, not in its prisons or refugee camps. Every child denied an education today represents a lost opportunity tomorrow.

The question we must all ask is this: Are we building a nation where education remains the foundation of progress, or one where it has become a privilege reserved for only those who can afford it ?.