Parents protest soaring textbook prices as private schools enforce costly changes

Parents across Nigeria are voicing anger over a sharp rise in textbook and workbook prices, with many accusing private schools and publishers of turning education into a profit machine.

As the 2025/2026 academic session resumed on September 15, the usual back-to-school excitement has been clouded by complaints of financial strain. Families say the tradition of passing textbooks down to younger siblings is disappearing, as schools increasingly insist on newly purchased editions each term.

For many households already grappling with inflation and shrinking incomes, the cost of tuition, uniforms, levies and now textbooks has pushed education closer to a luxury. Parents describe the recurring expenses as “exploitative,” warning that it risks pricing quality education out of reach for middle- and low-income families.

Yemisi Babatunde, a parent in Dopemu, Lagos, told Sunday PUNCH the demands had become unbearable.

“The payment for the books is just too much for us. I can’t kill myself because of textbooks. I try so hard not to bother myself because of high blood pressure, and that is why I have been avoiding school. What we received this year is far higher than last term.”

Private schools defend the frequent changes, citing curriculum updates and the need to uphold academic standards. But parents argue that the system benefits publishers more than learners.

In many homes, back-to-school shopping has become a stressful exercise: some parents recycle uniforms, while others dip into savings just to afford books. Analysts warn that unless there is regulation to protect parents, the rising costs could deepen inequality in access to quality education.