- By Meyiwa Ogbitse.
The Governor of Abia State has criminalised the non-enrolment of children who are of age to start school. Following the Children’s Day celebrations on the 27th of May, 2024. His Excellency, Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State, placed a law that having children who are of age to start attending school and not enrolling them into a school is now a criminal offence. He made this statement during the Children’s Day celebrations at Umuahia Township Stadium. He assured that the policy will be supported by the legislators of the Abia State Assembly, which will provide the appropriate penalties for defaulters.
He also noted that scholarships will be made available for children whose parents are not financially stable enough to enrol them in school. He also emphasised that no child will be molested or bullied while in school.
He then disagreed with the policy that students in special schools, such as those for the blind, should pay for special books, and he announced that he would donate a bus for them. He further apologised to the children for his predecessor’s administration, which owed teachers’ salaries and neglected the environment.