The Gombe State government has issued a strong warning to parents and guardians: failure to enroll their children in school will now attract serious legal consequences, including possible imprisonment.
The declaration was made on Monday by Babaji Babadidi, Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), during the launch of the 2025/2026 School Enrolment Campaign in Amada, Akko Local Government Area.
Quoting Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021, Babadidi revealed that defaulting parents risk a one- to two-month jail term or fines upon conviction.
“Every parent should ensure that their child or ward attends and completes primary, junior, and senior secondary education,” Babadidi stressed. “Subsequent convictions attract harsher penalties, including a two-month prison term.”
The campaign targets the enrolment of 400,000 children into primary schools across the state. While government initially used a free-education incentive as the “carrot” approach, stricter enforcement will now apply if parents fail to comply.
Addressing the Out-of-School Crisis
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari, lamented that Gombe currently has over 700,000 out-of-school children, a figure contributing significantly to the North-East’s 15 per cent share of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school population.
“We cannot sit idle while children remain out of school,” she said. “Every child will receive quality education and also learn a trade, enabling them to become future employers through skills and entrepreneurship.”
She added that the government has invested heavily in exercise books, school bags, and other materials to support the campaign.
UNICEF, Stakeholders, and Traditional Leaders Back the Move
Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Field Office in Bauchi, described Gombe’s out-of-school figure as “alarming” and called for total commitment from parents and communities.
“Every child has the right to be in school, to receive quality education, and grow into a productive citizen,” she stated.
Represented by Gadi Galadima, the Emir of Gona, Alhaji Umar Abdulsalam, commended Governor Inuwa Yahaya for prioritizing education and pledged traditional rulers’ support in mobilizing parents across local councils.
The warning marks the beginning of a new era in Gombe’s education drive, where parents could now face prison for denying their children schooling.
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