Enrol Your Children In Schools Or Go To Jail – Senate Bill
The Senate has passed for first reading a bill that seeks to impose a fine of N50,000 on parents who fail to provide their children with primary and secondary school education.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Orji Kalu, also proposes free meals for every child in the country.
The bill is an amendment to the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, which states that every government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.
The act also states that every parent shall ensure that his child or ward attends and completes his primary school education and junior secondary school education by sending the child to primary and junior secondary schools.
The act further states that stakeholders in education in a local government area shall ensure that every parent or person who has the care and custody of a child performs the duty imposed on him under the act.
The act further noted that a parent who contravenes the act should be liable, on the first conviction, to be reprimanded; on a second conviction, to a fine of N2,000 or imprisonment for a term of one month or both; and on subsequent conviction, to a fine of N5,000 or imprisonment for a term of two months or both.
However, the Senate, in its amendment, proposed to increase the fines to N20,000 for the second conviction and N50,000 for subsequent convictions.
The amendment also proposed to increase the fine for any person who receives or obtains any fee contrary to the provisions of the act from N10,000 to N100,000.
The amendment states: “Section (4) (b) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N2,000 and inserting N20,000. Section (4) (c) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N5,000 and inserting N50,000.”
It added: “Section 3(2) of the Principal Act is amended by deleting N10,000 and inserting N100,000.”
It stated: “A person who receives or obtains any fee contrary to the provisions of subsection (1) of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding N10,000 or imprisonment for a term of three months or to both.”
It stated: “Every parent shall ensure that his child receives full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude by regular attendance at schools.”
Reacting to the development, the Programme Coordinator for Basic Education at Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said that while the move by the lawmakers seems commendable, there should be an investigation into the additional charges by the public schools across the country.
He said: “We appreciate the efforts of the Senate to ensure that every child in Nigeria has access to quality education. However, we are concerned about the hidden costs that parents have to bear in public schools such as uniforms, books, levies and other charges. We urge the Senate to look into these issues and ensure that public education is truly free and accessible for all.”
