80 Abuja Pupils Remain in School Following BTCF and GIVING.ng Education Intervention

Basic education in Nigeria is tuition-free. But for many families, it is not cost-free.

Across public primary schools, small but mandatory levies remain, development fees, PTA contributions, administrative charges, and other related costs. For households already managing tight budgets, these amounts can quietly become barriers. What appears minimal on paper can feel overwhelming at home. And when those levies go unpaid, children are often sent home, not because they do not want to learn, but because their families simply cannot meet the requirement at that moment.

On February 10th and 11th, 2026, Beyond The Classroom Foundation (BTCF), in partnership with GIVING.ng, stepped in to address that gap across three LEA primary schools in Abuja.

Through the Set For School Project, BTCF cleared outstanding levies and distributed essential learning materials to 80 children at:

• LEA Primary School Durumi II
• LEA Primary School Damangaza
• LEA Primary School Karonmajigi

Earlier that same morning, some pupils had been asked to leave school due to unpaid fees. By the time the intervention was completed, those same children were back in their classrooms. The change was not gradual. It was immediate.

“We often say education is free, but the reality is that small levies still stand between some children and their classrooms,” said Raquel Kasham Daniel, Executive Director of Beyond The Classroom Foundation.

“This intervention reminds us that when we respond quickly, we prevent disruption. Sometimes it is not about large sums, it is about closing small but urgent gaps.”

At LEA Primary School Damangaza, the shift was visible. Once payments were confirmed, pupils who had been sent home returned to their seats the same day.

“We see the impact directly,” said Mr. Emmanuel, Head Teacher of LEA Primary School Damangaza.
“When these levies are settled, the children relax. They can focus. It lifts pressure from them and from the school.”

At LEA Primary School Durumi II, Mrs. Rahila, Head Teacher, reflected on the reality many families face.

“Some of these levies may seem small, but for certain households they are significant. This partnership ensured that our pupils continued learning without interruption.”

At LEA Primary School Karonmajigi, the impact reached beyond the school gates. Fifteen of the supported children are from a nearby Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp.

During the validation and distribution process, the Chairman of the camp, Mr. Abubakar, stood alongside the school leadership and BTCF team. As the program drew to a close, he shared what the intervention meant to families in the camp.

Many parents, he explained, are doing everything they can to rebuild stability. But school-related costs remain a steady pressure.

“When support like this comes, it reassures families,” he said. “It tells them their children can continue their education even when things are hard. It strengthens the whole community.”

GIVING.ng, developed by Sterling One Foundation (SOF), is a digital platform that connects individuals and organizations to verified causes across Nigeria. Through this collaboration, timely financial support reached children whose education was at risk due to unpaid levies.

The intervention highlights a simple but important reality: educational access is not only about policies that declare tuition free — it is also about addressing the small financial gaps that quietly exclude children.

Beyond The Classroom Foundation remains committed to working with schools, communities, and partners to ensure that children remain in class, regardless of financial hardship.