The Abia State Government has announced plans to apprehend children who are out of school during school hours and use them to track down their parents for punishment.
Goodluck Ubochi, the state’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, revealed this during a press conference on Tuesday, February 25. He stated that the government’s education marshals will begin enforcing the initiative on March 1, 2025.
Ubochi emphasized that the state has made significant investments in education and will ensure school attendance is strictly enforced.
“Any child found outside school during school hours will be arrested, and their parents will also be identified and held accountable,” he warned.
According to UNICEF data, one in every three Nigerian children is out of school, with an estimated 10.2 million at the primary level and 8.1 million at the junior secondary level.
