Charterhouse School’s Tuition Fees Spark Heated Debate in Nigeria
Charterhouse, a prestigious British independent school, has ignited fresh controversy regarding its tuition fees, drawing significant criticism from Nigerians on social media platforms. Located in the Lekki area of Lagos State, Charterhouse is the first African branch of the well-established institution that has been a prominent name in British education for over 400 years. The school welcomed its first cohort of students in September 2024, accommodating children from Year 1 through Year 6.
Previously, in April 2024, the school faced backlash when reports surfaced claiming its tuition fees could reach as high as N42 million per annum, coupled with a non-refundable registration fee of N2 million. This revelation incited an outcry online, with many questioning the financial accessibility of such an institution for the average Nigerian family.
The debate reignited on Thursday when a video shared by user #itzbasito on X.com (formerly Twitter) showcased the facilities of what was labeled as “the most expensive school in Lagos,” citing the fee of N42 million. However, Charterhouse responded by asserting that the actual costs, including tuition and accommodation, were below N30 million. The post quickly garnered over 9,200 interactions, with numerous Nigerians expressing that even N30 million remains prohibitively high.
One critic, user #TheWaleOrire, remarked on Twitter, “If the government cannot regulate school fees in primary and secondary schools, what hope do we have for standardized universal basic education? Charging N42 million for any secondary school in Nigeria is unjustifiable.” He further argued that such exorbitant fees exacerbate the socio-economic divide, transforming education into a privilege reserved for the affluent rather than a basic right accessible to all children. “We urgently need reforms to narrow this inequality,” he urged.
Charterhouse’s website outlines a tiered fee structure for its founding pupils, with costs varying from N16.1 million for Years 1–2 to N24 million for Year 9. Additional charges include N5 million for weekly boarding and N7 million annually for full boarding.
In August 2024, John Todd, the Founding Head and Director of Education at Charterhouse, addressed the misinformation regarding the school’s fees, stating, “Following the discussions sparked in April about our fees, I would like to clarify that they are currently set at N26 million, not N42 million. We have never charged that amount.”
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