***As Senate calls for establishment of mobile courts for enforcement
Apparently worried by the high rate of out of school children in Nigeria and the associated vices the Senate has resolved to tackle the problem headlong with a proposal for six months jail term for parents of such children
The Senate therefore called for establishment of mobile courts for enforcement of the Universal Basic Education Act.
President of the senate Godswill Akpabio specifically urged the States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, to adopt measures used in Akwa Ibom State when he was governor which entailed six months imprisonment for Parents or Guardian of School aged Children found on the streets or in the farm , during school hours .
Senate’s move for stringent action against parents or guardians of out of School Children in Nigeria, followed motion sponsored by Senator Idiat Oluranti Adebule ( APC Lagos West) on 20million out of School Children in Nigeria .
Adebule in the motion said it has become worrisome, going by 2022 report of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO that about 20 million Nigerian children are out of school which represents 10 percent of the estimated Nigerian population of 200 million people and also represents the highest number of out of school children from any country globally.
“Though the Federal Ministry of Education has disputed the figure, it’s generally agreed that whatever the real figures, the issue of out-of-school children has become an albatross on the neck of the Nigerian State that must be dealt with as a matter of urgency”, she stressed .
In his contribution to the motion, Senator Adams Oshiomhole ( APC Edo North), said the menace must be tackled very urgently because illiteracy engenders poverty and poverty engenders crime .
“I really don’t think we need any tutorial to remind us that he or she who didn’t have the opportunity or was denied the opportunity to go to school, is destined to be poor forever.
“An illiterate young man or woman is bound to give birth to another illiterate child which will lead to a dynasty of the poor constituting a risk to the rich and the society at large .
“Today in Nigeria, we can see and we are all witnesses that inequality and abject poverty anywhere has constituted a huge security risk to everyone in Nigeria. it is clear that every Nigerian children needs to go tio school”, he said .
He accused some governors particularly from the Northern part of the country of sabotaging efforts of federal government in making basic education free and compulsory for every child in Nigeria.
According to him, the governors sabotaging the policy, deliberately refuse to contribute 50% of fund required from them as counterpart funding of UBE policy.
Other Senators like the former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan (APC Yobe North), the Deputy President of the Senate, Jibrin Barau (APC Kano North), Mohammed Monguno (APC Borno North) etc , contributed to the debate by calling on government at all levels to urgently arrest the trend .
Ahmad Lawan in his contribution, said the 20million figure given is smaller to what is ground as not less than 30million Children are out of School in Nigeria .
In his remarks after adoption of prayers in the motion as resolutions , the President of the Senate , Godswill Akpabio said : Since Education is the bedrock of all good things in any society , government at all levels , should ensure that no school age child , stays out of school in Nigeria .
“We did it in Akwa Ibom State when i was governor by enforcing compliance to the UBE Act by all Parents or Guardians or were made to know that anybody caught not sending his or her child to school , risks six months imprisonment.
” By way of legislation , Child rights Act was put in place which has free and compulsory education as parts of its provisions. Other States in Nigeria should adopt this as required measures of making education truly free and compulsory for children in the country “, he said .