Abia Governor Otti: Non-Enrolment of Children in School Now a Criminal Offense

Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has criminalized the non enrollment of school-age children in the state, warning of serious penalty for parents and guardians who refuse to enroll their children or wards of school age.

He stated this at Umuahia Township Stadium during the 2024 Children’s Day celebration, noting that the policy would be supported with a legislation by the Abia State House of Assembly which would prescribe a penalty for offenders.

“From now on it is an offence for any child that is of school age not to be sent to school.

“We are going to back that up with a legislation and that legislation will prescribe penalties for any parent who refuses to bring out his child for education,” he said.

He also said scholarship would be created for children whose parents are financially disadvantaged, to ensure that every child of school age goes to school, promising that no child in the state would be marginalized or molested.

He further abolished payment of levies for special books by students of the school for the blind, Afaraukwu, and donated a bus to them.

The governor, who broke down in tears at Umuahia Township Stadium while taking salute from pupils, said he was pained by the plight of the children with special needs like the deaf.

He apologized to Abia children for the past administrations which owed teachers salaries and environments left to rot.