Kano Assembly passes bill to cap private school fee hikes at 10%

The Kano State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to regulate tuition charges by private schools, including a provision that limits any increase in school fees to a maximum of 10 per cent.

The legislation, titled the Kano State Private and Voluntary Institutions Board (Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed on Monday after its third reading during plenary.

The bill, which has been forwarded to Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf for assent, introduces new measures aimed at strengthening oversight of private schools and protecting parents from arbitrary fee increases.

Speaking after the passage of the bill, the Majority Leader, Lawan Hussaini, said private primary and secondary schools would now be required to consult their Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) before implementing any tuition increase.

He explained that any approved adjustment must not exceed 10 per cent of the existing school fees.

The amendment also sets fresh eligibility criteria for the appointment of the Executive Secretary of the Private and Voluntary Institutions Board, restricting the position to retired or experienced educationists who attained at least Grade Level 14 in the public service.

In addition, the proposed law bars private schools from charging more than 10 per cent above the official registration fees approved by external examination bodies, including the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), and the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB).

The bill further reduces the statutory levy payable by private schools to the board from 15 per cent to five per cent.

According to Hussaini, the amendment is designed to improve the regulation and administration of private and voluntary educational institutions, enhance education standards, and shield parents from excessive and unjustified increases in school fees.