By Our Correspondent
FUNTUA, Katsina — Parents under the Parents Teachers’ Association (PTA) of Zee Alpha International Schools, Funtua, have temporarily withdrawn their children from the school following a sharp increase in tuition fees and other charges by the school authorities.
The parents said the decision followed their failure to reach an agreement with the school proprietress over the new fees, despite an offer by the PTA to accept a more modest increase to enable the school improve teachers’ remuneration.
At a meeting with the proprietress on Sunday, the PTA reportedly offered to increase the fees by ₦10,000 per child per term across all classes, saying it recognised the need for teachers to be paid better salaries. The proprietress, however, rejected the proposal, according to the parents.
Under the new fee structure, the primary section is to pay ₦50,000, up from ₦42,500 per term, representing a 17.65 per cent increase.
For JSS students, the fee has risen from ₦45,500 to ₦63,000, a 38.46 per cent increase, while fees for SSS 1 and 2 increased from ₦51,500 to ₦77,000, representing a 49.51 per cent rise.
The largest increase is for SSS 3, where the fee reportedly rose from ₦51,500 to ₦82,500, an increase of 60.19 per cent.
| Section | Old Fee | New Fee | Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | ₦42,500 | ₦50,000 | 17.65% |
| JSS | ₦45,500 | ₦63,000 | 38.46% |
| SSS 1 & 2 | ₦51,500 | ₦77,000 | 49.51% |
| SSS 3 | ₦51,500 | ₦82,500 | 60.19% |
The parents’ objection also comes against the background of a Katsina State government policy that requires approval before private and community schools increase tuition fees.
In August 2025, the Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, under Commissioner Zainab Musa-Musawa, announced the revocation of existing licences of private and community schools as part of a new regulatory framework.
In the circular, the commissioner specifically warned that the revised government regulatory fees “must not lead to an increase in school fees without explicit approval from the ministry.”
The directive was also reported by THISDAY, which stated that the government had warned private schools against increasing fees without the ministry’s approval.
The position was further highlighted in reports on the reaction of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Katsina. The association complained that the new policy prohibited schools from increasing tuition fees without explicit approval from the Commissioner for Education.
The government’s position therefore substantially corroborates the PTA’s claim that private schools in Katsina are not at liberty to arbitrarily increase tuition fees without regulatory approval.
The PTA has raised additional grievances concerning the alleged compulsory purchase of books and school uniforms directly from the school.
According to the parents, students and their families were allegedly required to obtain the items from the school rather than being allowed to purchase them from alternative suppliers.
The PTA is also questioning the overall cost of the additional charges imposed on parents alongside the new tuition fees.
The parents said their decision to withdraw their children is temporary and is intended to put pressure on the school management to reconsider the increases and address their other concerns.
The development comes just as parents at Mariamoh Ajiri International School (MAMIS), Katsina, announced a similar temporary boycott over increased school fees and other charges.
In a notice dated September 6, 2026, the concerned parents asked families to stop taking their children to the school from Monday, September 7, and to suspend payment of school fees pending the outcome of discussions with the school authorities.
The emergence of disputes at the two schools has renewed questions about the implementation of Katsina State’s regulation of private schools, particularly the requirement that fee increases receive government approval.
The Zee Alpha PTA is now seeking a resolution with the school management, while the parents’ action has placed renewed attention on the state’s enforcement of its policy on private-school fees.
Fasaha Stream has not independently established whether Zee Alpha International Schools obtained the required approval from the Katsina State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education for the latest fee increases.
The school management’s response to the parents’ allegations was not available at the time of filing this report.
