Enrol Children in School or Risk Jail, Gombe Govt Warns Parents
The Gombe State Government has vowed to prosecute parents and guardians who fail to send their children to school.
Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Babaji Babadidi, disclosed this during the launch of the 2025/2026 School Enrollment Campaign at Amada, Akko Local Government Area.
He said parents who neglect their duty risk fines or imprisonment, citing Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021. First-time offenders face a one-month jail term or fine, while repeat offenders could spend up to two months in prison.
Babadidi explained that while the government initially adopted a carrot approach by providing free education, strict enforcement may become necessary if the state fails to meet its target of enrolling 400,000 new pupils this session.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari, revealed that Gombe has over 700,000 out-of-school children, with the Northeast accounting for 15 percent of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school children.
She emphasized that education is not just a pathway to government jobs but a foundation for developing skills and fostering entrepreneurship. The commissioner highlighted the government’s investment in exercise books, school bags, and other materials to ease the burden on parents.
UNICEF Chief of Field Office Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, described the situation as “alarming,” urging collective action to ensure every child’s right to education. The Emir of Gona, represented by Gadi Galadima, pledged the support of traditional institutions to mobilise parents for the campaign.
The event featured the symbolic enrolment of new pupils into Primary I and the reintegration of out-of-school children into post-basic education.
Every Nigerian child is entitled to free, compulsory, and universal basic education under the Child Rights Act 2003, a right that must be protected and upheld.
