Abia govt. criminalises non-enrollment of school age children

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has criminalised the non-enrollment of school-age children, warning of severe penalties for parents and guardians who fail to enroll their children or wards in school.

Governor Otti announced this policy at the Umuahia Township Stadium during the 2024 Children’s Day celebration.
He emphasized that the initiative would be supported by legislation from the Abia State House of Assembly, which will prescribe penalties for offenders.
“From now on, it is an offence for any child that is of school age not to be sent to school,” Otti stated. “We are going to back that up with legislation, and that legislation will prescribe penalties for any parent who refuses to bring out his child for education.”

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In addition to this new policy, Governor Otti abolished the payment of levies for special books by school students for blind individuals in Afaraukwu and donated a bus to support them. He also announced the creation of scholarships for children whose parents are financially disadvantaged, ensuring that every school-age child has access to education. Otti assured that no child in the state would be marginalized or mistreated.
The governor expressed his sorrow over the plight of children with special needs, such as the deaf, and apologized to Abia children for the shortcomings of past administrations, including unpaid teacher salaries and neglected school environments.
This new policy underscored Governor Otti’s commitment to improving education and ensuring that all children in Abia State receive the education they deserve.