The Nigerien government has taken decisive action to halt the rampant rise in private school tuition fees that has placed education out of reach for many families across the country.
Following mounting public frustration over soaring costs, the government adopted a draft decree on July 18 aimed at regulating and capping fees in private educational institutions.
In recent years, tuition fees in Niger’s private schools have skyrocketed to staggering levels.
While primary school fees once hovered around 30,000 CFA francs, they have ballooned to between 70,000 and 100,000 CFA francs in secondary schools, and even higher—between 100,000 and 130,000 francs—in high schools.
Prices at higher education institutions have also surged beyond the grasp of many families, turning education into an increasingly unaffordable luxury.
“This decision is in line with the desire of the transitional president, General Abdourahamane Tiani, to ensure inclusive development of human capital,” the Council of Ministers stated in its final communiqué.
The reform is part of the Presidential Vision prioritising education as a fundamental right accessible to all, regardless of social status.
The draft decree follows the work of a national evaluation committee tasked with reviewing tuition costs nationwide.
Its goal is to establish clear caps on fees according to the category of institution, eliminating unjustified disparities between schools with similar educational profiles.
Such disparities have fuelled widespread anger as many parents feel crushed under the burden of unchecked increases.
Niger’s authorities stress that education must never become a market governed solely by supply and demand. It is a right that deserves protection, not a business that excludes vulnerable populations.
The government now faces the challenge of ensuring effective implementation and enforcement of the new regulations from the start of the next academic year.
Beyond policy, a broader societal shift towards equitable, responsible education serving the common good is essential.
With thousands of Nigerien children depending on it, the stakes could not be higher. The nation’s future depends on making education affordable and inclusive for all.
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