The Abia State government has announced that, starting January 1, 2025, it will be an offense for parents in the state not to send their children and wards to school.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, during a press briefing at the Government House in Umuahia on Monday, following the State Executive Council meeting led by Governor Alex Otti.
Kanu explained that this decision is part of ongoing reforms in Abia State’s educational sector and emphasized that poverty is no longer an acceptable reason for children to miss out on free, basic education.
He urged parents to make use of the state’s tuition-free policy to ensure their children and wards attend school, warning that parents who fail to comply will face prosecution under the Abia State Child’s Law of 2006.
According to the Abia State Child’s Law of 2006, it is now an offense for parents in Abia State not to send their children and wards to school.
“Education is free in Abia State up to the end of Junior Secondary School, so there is no justification for parents not to enroll their children in school.”
He stated, “Beginning January 1, 2025, when this policy takes full effect, parents who fail to comply will be prosecuted under that law.”
The Commissioner also reaffirmed that the decision to relocate the Umuahia campus of Abia State University to the main campus at Uturu is final. However, he assured affected stakeholders that concerns and anxieties resulting from the relocation would be addressed.
Additionally, he mentioned that Governor Otti has instructed the state’s Commissioner for Works to promptly repair the deteriorating Osisioma flyover, built by the previous administration, to ensure the safety of Abians and other road users.
