A combined picture of Queens College front gate and logo
By Victory Oghene and Akeem Atoyebi
Parents of Queens School, Yaba, Lagos, one of the high-flying secondary schools in the country have expressed frustration and anger over the exorbitant fee imposed on their children by the Parents/Teachers Association (PTA) led by Olorunyomi Ojo.
The parents said they had been bearing silently for years over the oppressive and highly exploitative tendency of the PTA before they voiced out their plights.
NATIONAL WAVES exclusively reports that the parents are more angered by not only a lack of communication, but what in communication parlance is one way, given allegations that the PTA has refused feedback from parents.
Many of them confided in NATIONAL WAVES that the school is run in an authoritarian manner as if it’s a private school where the proprietor can wake up one day without consultation and impose his or her will on the students and parents without their inputs.
To avert untoward development, the parents have written to the Minister of Education to intimate him of the uncanny goings in the school and to prevail on him to investigate the complaints of the parents, especially in regards of illegal charges and levies unilaterally imposed by the PTA chairman and with tacit support of the school, which they described as unreasonably high and most times go against the directives of the Ministry.
Screenshots of chats by parents and students of Queens College Lagos expressing their displeasure over exorbitant PTA fee on X
A copy of the letter seen by NATIONAL WAVES reads in part :
“Dear Honourable Minister of Education,
We, concerned parents of students at Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos, humbly write to seek your urgent intervention regarding persistent and unauthorised financial demands placed on us by the school’s PTA and management — in clear violation of Federal Government directives.
“Despite your Ministry’s circular dated 19th March 2025 (Ref: SAF.27/S.12/1), which approved a maximum PTA levy of ₦12,000 per term for all Federal Unity Colleges, Queen’s College continues to charge ₦21,500 per student. This is not only unlawful, but it also places an unbearable financial strain on many parents, especially in these challenging economic times.
“While other Unity Colleges are adjusting their levies in line with the directive, Queen’s College remains adamant and unyielding. Unfortunately, this has become the norm at QC over the years — parents are continuously burdened with extra charges such as paying ₦200 just to sit on a chair during visiting days.
“Worse still, we have been made to pay salaries of PTA-employed teachers, with claims that the Federal Government does not supply adequate teaching staff. This has resulted in a situation where PTA-employed teachers outnumber Federal teachers, raising serious concerns about how the school is being managed. It now feels more like a privately-run institution than a Federal Unity College.
“We have pleaded and appealed on several occasions, but our concerns are consistently ignored. We are now exhausted and left with no other option but to seek your direct intervention. Please, sir, come to our aid. Queen’s College should not be allowed to operate outside the policies and principles that guide Federal Unity Schools.
“We respectfully request a ministerial investigation and immediate action to restore order, transparency, and compliance at Queen’s College.
Many students who spoke to this medium expressed unhappiness that the school authorities have put a heavy financial burden on their parents through sundry charges which is not the case in other Unity Schools across the country where their friends attend .
A student who craved anonymity for fear of victimisation said ” Most times I find it difficult to tell my parents when another illegal levy is imposed because I consider their financial state, especially during these hard times. I don’t know why the school authorities do things without consultation with our parents. You will not believe it that more than half of our teachers are recruited by PTA. This is odd .”
Many parents who spoke to NATIONAL WAVES on the crisis voiced frustration at what they called a total lack of respect for the directives of the Federal Ministry of Education regarding levies. For instance, it was learnt that the Ministry has approved a maximum PTA levy of ₦12,000 per term for all Federal Unity Colleges, but according to the allegations levelled against the school authorities, Queen’s College continues to charge ₦21,500 per student, an action the parents consider illegal.
Efforts to speak to the Public Relations Officer of the school failed as calls to her mobile phone were not answered neither were the text messages acknowledged.
