The Abia State government has announced a new policy to provide free and compulsory education for all children in the state, regardless of their origin.
Set to commence in January 2025, the policy will cover education from Primary One to Junior Secondary School Three in all public schools, aiming to ensure that every child has access to quality education.
Prince Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, shared the details of the new initiative during a press briefing following a State Executive Council meeting.
He emphasized that parents and guardians who fail to comply with the policy will face legal consequences under the Abia State Child’s Rights Law of 2006.
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“In line with the Abia State Child’s Rights Law 2006, it will now be an offence for parents not to send their children and wards to school in Abia State,” Kanu said. “Education is free in Abia State up to the end of Junior Secondary School”.
“There is no reason whatsoever why parents will not send their children to school. So, from the first of January 2025, when this policy will fully come into effect, defaulting parents will be prosecuted under that law.”
The move reflects the administration’s commitment to strengthening the state’s educational sector. Kanu highlighted that, at the start of the current administration, a state of emergency was declared in the sector to underscore the importance of education in Abia State’s development goals.
Alongside the education initiative, the state government has also awarded contracts for the rehabilitation of nine additional roads across various parts of the state.
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While specifics of the road projects will be disclosed later, the Commissioner assured that these infrastructure improvements align with the administration’s agenda for broad-based development in Abia State.
With this new education policy, the Abia State government is prioritizing accessible, quality education and holding parents accountable for ensuring that children attend school. The state aims to foster a culture of educational advancement and lay a foundation for a prosperous future.