Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has announced that non-enrollment of school-age children is now a criminal offense in the state.
During the 2024 Children’s Day celebration at Umuahia Township Stadium, the governor emphasized that parents and guardians who fail to enroll their children or wards in school will face serious penalties.
Governor Otti stated that this policy will be backed by legislation from the Abia State House of Assembly, which will specify the penalties for non-compliance.
Otti declared, “From now on it is an offence for any child that is of school age not to be sent to school.
“We are going to back that up with a legislation and that legislation will prescribe penalties for any parent who refuses to bring out his child for education,” he added.
To support families who are financially disadvantaged, the governor announced the creation of scholarships to ensure that every child in the state has access to education. He also promised that no child would be marginalized or molested.
In addition to this new policy, Governor Otti abolished the payment of levies for special books required by students at the School for the Blind in Afaraukwu and donated a bus to the institution.
The governor, who broke down in tears at Umuahia Township Stadium while taking salute from pupils, said he was pained by the plight of the children with special needs like the deaf.
He apologized to Abia children for the past administrations which owed teachers salaries and environments left to depreciate.
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