Send your children to school or face fine, NSUBEB warns parents

From Abel Leonard, Lafia

Dr Kassim Muhammad Kassim, the newly inaugurated Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), has warned parents to enrol their school-age children in school or face legal penalties.

He issued the directive on Monday, May 12, while addressing senior staff, traditional rulers, APC stakeholders, and others at NSUBEB headquarters in Lafia, following his inauguration by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

Dr Kassim stressed that education is a fundamental right and compulsory for every child in Nasarawa State. “Every child has the right to free, compulsory, and universal basic education,” he said, pledging to create a conducive learning environment. He also vowed to integrate almajiri children into formal education, stating, “We will not leave out the almajiri children who are scattered across the state.”

Parents who fail to comply will face fines, as Kassim declared, “Sending your children to school is no longer a choice but a compulsory obligation. The law stipulates that any parent or guardian who fails to do so commits an offence and will be fined.” He outlined a shift from contract-focused initiatives to impactful educational reforms, particularly addressing the almajiri issue.

Governor Sule, speaking at the swearing-in ceremony in Lafia, reaffirmed his administration’s focus on education since May 2019. “Basic education is the foundation for an egalitarian society,” he said, urging Dr Kassim to assess and strengthen teacher staffing in primary and junior secondary schools. Sule also inaugurated the State Local Government Service Commission to bolster institutional frameworks.