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Nigeriaâs Rivers State to Jail Parents who Keep Children out of School

   Chinedu Offor | Washington DC 02 September 2010

   In Nigeria, the governor of Rivers State is set to implement a measure
   that will jail parents who keep their children out of school. Governor
   Chibuike  Amaechi  says  itâs necessary because of the large number of
   children  not  attending  school.   Critics  say  the  measure is too
   extreme  but  the  governor  says  itâs  necessary  to  train the next
   generation  of  leaders.  The  governor  has promised that primary and
   secondary education will be free.

   Ibim  Semenitari is the state information commissioner. She told VOAâs
   Chinedu  Offor  that  Governor  Amaechi takes the future of the youths
   seriously.

   âThe  truth  of  the matter is that development   is consequent upon
   education   and if people do not have an appropriate foundation they
   cannot  even  be  participants  in  their own development.  Democracy
   means  that the people must know, but how will they know if they donât
   have  the  basic  tool  by  which they know. Societies are enhanced Â
   because  people   have knowledge and because people are empowered to
   earn  an  income.  It  is  that that drives the administration of Gov.
   Amaechi  to  ensure  that    Rivers  people  have  access  to  free,
   qualitative and compulsory education.â

   âGov. Amaech is only obeying the lawâ, she says to critics who suggest
   he is being too extreme in his plans to keep children in schools.

   âIndeed  the  Child Rights Act of Nigeria makes it a crime as a parent
   not  to make sure your child is in school. He is someone who takes the
   law  very  seriously. So it is a crime if your child is not in school.
   That  is  the  only  way  we  can  protect  the  most venerable of our
   populationâ

   She says government is targeting the most important phase of a childâs
   life in implementing the free education program.

   âWe  are  talking  about  the  primary and secondary level because the
   Nigerian  and Africa charter insist that all children must be educated
   up to that age, they must have basic education.â

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