700,000 out of school: Gombe govt to jail parents for failure to enroll children in schools

In a swift response to the alarming rate of over 700,000 out of school children in Gombe State, the state government said it is now a criminal act for parents not to send their children to school.

The government. Announced its readiness to prosecute and parents and guardians who fail to enroll their children to school.

Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Babaji Babadidi disclosed this on Monday at the inauguration of the 2025/2026 School Enrolment Campaign in Amada, Akko Local Government Area of the state.

According to him, parents found guilty risks a two-month jail term under Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021.

He said the measure was necessary to ensure that every child has access to quality basic education.

“Every parent should ensure that their child or ward attends and completes primary, junior and senior secondary education.

“Any parent, who contravene Section 19(2) of the law commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to pay a fine or serve a one-month prison sentence.

“Subsequent convictions also attract a substantial fine or imprisonment for a term of two months,” he said.

Babadidi said that prior to this enrollment campaign, the state government adopted a carrot approach by providing free education.

“However, if we fail to meet our target of enrolling 400,000 students into primary schools this session, we will revert to the stick approach by enforcing the law.”

The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari, said the state has over 700,000 out-of-school children.

According to Maigari, the North-East region accounts for 15 per cent of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school children.

We cannot sit and fold our arms while our children remain out of school. We will ensure every child is enrolled. Every child will receive a quality education and also learn a trade, which does not necessarily mean working for the government.

“An educated person can become an employer of labour through skills and entrepreneurship acquired in school,”she said.

Represented by Gadi Galadima, the emir lauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya for the improved investment in the education sector.

The Emir of Gona, Alhaji Umar Abdulsalam, pledged his council’s readiness to mobilise participation in the campaign.

The highlight of the event featured the symbolic enrollment of school-age children into Primary I and out-of-school children into post-basic education.