Nigerians have been criticising Charterhouse, a British independent school in Lagos State’s Lekki neighbourhood, on social media recently due to its costs.
For more than 400 years, the Charterhouse Family of Schools has been a prominent name in British education, according to its website. Students in Years 1 through 6 were accepted into the Lagos campus, the first Charterhouse UK location in Africa, in September 2024.
A N2 million non-refundable registration fee and tuition costs that were allegedly as high as N42 million annually drew criticism to the institution in April 2024. There was a lot of criticism for this, and many people questioned whether the institution was affordable for the typical Nigerian household.
The argument reappeared on Thursday after user #itzbasito posted a video to X.com with the caption, “This is what the inside of the most expensive school in Lagos looks like.” Each year, it costs N42 million.
However, according to the video, which was credited to Charterhouse, tuition and lodging cost less than N30 million. Many Nigerians have subsequently criticised the expenses, saying that even N30 million is too much, given the over 9,200 conversations the post has received on X.com.
“How can we achieve standardised universal basic education if the government cannot regulate school fees in primary and secondary schools?” tweeted one user on Friday under the handle #TheWaleOrire. No secondary school in Nigeria has any justification for charging N42 million annually.
He continued by saying, “This only serves to increase the divide between the lower, middle, and upper classes, making education a luxury for the wealthy rather than a fundamental right for all children. Urgent measures are required to address this inequity.”
Similar views were expressed by other users, who contended that the levies were mainly intended for the rich elite.
“Nobody in Nigeria who makes Naira will ever pay N42 million a year for a secondary school pupil, regardless of what they are learning,” #OAAdeniji wrote. “This is more than just ridiculous.”
Another user, #toofighting, commented, “You’d find that the majority of the students are the offspring of foreigners, and those fees are paid by the companies their parents run.” It is too much for the majority of Nigerian parents to pay out of pocket.”
“N42 million per year just so some people can feel superior that their children will be taught by whites… sorry, ‘expatriates.’” was another comment made by #rusticfunmi.
On the other hand, other users provided support for the school, claiming that it serves a particular demographic.
“They don’t have the majority as their target market,” #Arsenicscot tweeted. “They all complain about their pockets. The school will not be sparsely populated when admissions begin. Its proprietors are aware of the demographic they are trying to reach. Students won’t beg for them.”
“If they can afford it, why not?” commented another user, #Treazyblaq. “These institutions are beneficial for networking and creating relationships that will help in the future in addition to providing education. It is an investment in opportunity, general development, and education.”
The video also described the accommodation arrangements at the institution, which included three other students sharing a room with a bed and a private area. This led to more criticism, with some people doubting the value offered.
“N30 million a year only to share a room with four other students,” #SandraAdaeze4 tweeted.
The same goes with #citiii, who added, “There is no reason why each student shouldn’t have their room or, at worst, two per room for that amount.”
According to Charterhouse’s website, tuition for founding students is tier-based, with the first two years costing N16.1 million and the ninth year costing N24 million. The annual cost of full boarding is N7 million, while weekly boarding is an extra N5 million.
