There Will Be Serious Penalties – Gov, Otti Warns Parents Over Non-enrolment Of Children In School

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

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

He said, “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.”

Governor Otti also abolished the payment of levies for special books by school students for people who are blind, Afaraukwu, and donated a bus to them.

He also said scholarships 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.

The Governor said he was pained by the plight of the children with special needs, like the deaf, apologising to Abia children for the past administrations, which owed teachers salaries and environments left to rot.