Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi has warned parents and guardians against preventing their children and wards from enjoying free education programme put in place by his government; saying anyone who prevents school-age children from going to school in the state will face the wrath of the law.
The Governor sounded the warning while flagging off the registration of primary school-age children for 2013/2014 academic session held at St. Peter’s RCM Primary School, Emure Ekiti on Thursday.
Dr. Fayemi stated that the Child Right law in the State and the Universal Basic Education Act prevent parents and guardians from disallowing school-age children from enjoying education because it is not a privilege but a right that all children must benefit from.
He opined that parents do not love their children but also committed to their future and would want them to get quality education which “is the road to fulfilment”.
“We must make sure that 100% of our children of school age are in school. We are not there yet but we will be there soon. We look forward to a time when all children will be in school because it is their right. It is not a privilege that we are doing but it is their right. It is the reason we have free education. It is not just free but also compulsory education in primary schools so that our children will be prepared for the challenges of the future.
That is why parents must know that we have child right law in this state in addition to the universal basic education act that prevents parents from disallowing their children of school age from going to school. Such parents will face the maximum wrath of the law if they are found but I know that parents love their children. They are law abiding and are committed to the future of their children”, the Governor stated.
Also speaking, the Deputy Governor who also doubles as the Chairperson of the State Universal Basic Education Board, Prof. Modupe Adelabu said government’s effort at getting school-age children to school has paid off with an increase in enrolment from 160,171 in 2011/2012 session to 170,768 in 2012/2013 session.
Prof Adelabu disclosed that the 23 new public nursery and primary schools have been approved for take-off from the forthcoming academic session in order to make education accessible and meet the yearnings of the people while also taking care of the influx of pupils.
Adelabu added that it is commendable that Ekiti State has the least out-of-school children in Nigeria with only 2% while some other states recorded about 80%.
She stated that an Early Childhood Educational Centre has been established at the State Secretariat to take care of pre-primary education programme; adding that this would relieve working parents the problem of carrying their children to workplace as well as allow easy transition from pre-primary to primary one in public primary schools in the State.
Prof. Adelabu however enjoined parents, teachers and other stakeholders in the education sector to support the present administration in its quest to fully revamp the standard of education in the State, while parents and guardians should monitor their children to prevent them from falling victims of criminal activities.
At the event, the Governor, his Deputy, the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Kehinde Ojo, the caretaker Chairman of Emure Local Government, Mr Febisola Adewale and the Permanent Secretary, SUBEB, Dr Eunice Dada registered the school age children who were brought by their parents for registration for the new academic session.
