As primary and secondary schools resume in Ondo State today, Tuesday, a recent market survey in Akure, the state capital, has revealed a massive increase in book prices, leaving sellers and parents whirling.
A pack of 60 leaves of notebooks now sells for N3,500, up from N2,000, while a pack of Higher Education books costs N8,500, up from N5,500. Packs of pens, rubber sandals, and uniform materials have also increased.
In an interview with a director of a bookshop at Oja-Oba, Akure, Elder Idowu Olumuyiwa lamented that the high cost of books has been the greatest challenge to patronage. "The current high cost of books affects parents tremendously. Some only buy one or two books due to insufficient funds, which also affects book sales and stocking," he said.
Olumuyiwa noted that book prices have risen by 50%, with some books increasing by over 60%. He attributed the hike to increased paper and printing costs.
"The English language textbook sold at N3,000 is now N4,600. Some books priced at N5,500 last year now cost N8,500," he said.
Another bookseller, Mr. Olusegun Adekanbi, confirmed the price increase, citing a 50-100% rise. "Despite high prices, some parents still buy. The General Mathematics textbook we sold for N2,900 last year now costs N4,500."
He urged the government to invest in education, warning that unaffordable books could lead to increased illiteracy.
Similarly, Mrs Tolu Adesola, a bookseller, complained about the low patronage of books and other school materials by parents due to the increased cost of living.
"You can see that there is low patronage now, despite the resumption of schools. Most parents only buy English and Mathematics books for their children because they cannot afford all the books their children need," she said.
Speaking with parents Mr Jimoh Olusegun, Mrs Iyabo Adebayo and Mr Lucky expressed their frustration over the hike in book prices, attributing it to inflation and the bad economy.
In an interview with the Ondo State Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) Chairman Alhaji Abimbola Omoloja stressed that the current situation in the country affects every sector, including education.
Omoloja added that students in the state will resume under normal circumstances; however, he lamented that the current hike in commodity prices, including transportation, will greatly affect students, parents, and schools.
"The cost of transportation is high now. We will have a lot of problems as far as I am concerned. I appeal to the government to make the free shuttle buses available for transporting our students across the state," he said.
He encouraged parents to see education as the bedrock of progress, urging them to strive to buy books and uniforms for their children from the collectibles approved by the state government.
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