The Senate is considering an amendment to the 1999 constitution that would make it mandatory for parents to enroll their children in school, with a six-month jail term for those who refuse.
This proposal was made by Senator Usman Lawal Adamu, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Education (Primary and Secondary), during a plenary session on Wednesday.
“We are proposing a six-month jail term for parents who refuse to send their children to school. We must come to terms with the fact that education is very key. It’s the solution to these criminalities that are happening,” Adamu said.
According to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Nigeria has over 20 million out-of-school children, describing them as potential bandits.
“20 million out-of-school children is a timebomb for any country. They are potential bandits; they are a major danger. So, this is a major issue. This is the cause of insecurity in the country,” Akpabio emphasized.
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Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin also expressed concern, stating, “Out-of-school children are a serious problem. It is a kind of timebomb, and once it explodes, it will consume us, particularly the northern part of this country.”
Senator Simon Lalong suggested that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu should direct State Governors to address the issue, given the significant funds allocated to them.
Following a thorough debate, Senator Seriake Dickson moved for a national summit to tackle the problem, which was seconded by Barau Jibrin.
The proposed summit, will bring together stakeholders from Federal, State, Local Governments, civil society organizations, and others.
No date has been set for the summit.
