The House of Representatives has taken a significant step towards ensuring that every Nigerian child has access to free and compulsory education. The House passed a motion urging the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) to enforce the right of every child to basic education as provided under the Universal Basic Education Scheme.
The motion, moved by Hon. Obi Aguocha, highlights the importance of education as a fundamental right of every child. Hon. Aguocha noted that the House recognizes the need for UBEC to provide a supervisory role on the scheme and ensure an impressive enrollment of children for basic education in the country.
The House noted that the State has enacted the Child’s Rights Act, 2003, and the Compulsory Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004, which guarantee the right of every Nigerian child to compulsory basic education from primary to junior secondary school at the expense of the state. The laws also provide for funding of the Universal Basic Education Scheme, with the Federal Government contributing 2% of its Consolidated Revenue Fund to the Universal Basic Education Fund (UBEF) annually.
Despite these provisions, the House expressed concern that the country continues to witness an increase in the number of out-of-school children. The House attributed this to insufficient funding, uneven distribution of resources, poor teacher quality, and socio-cultural barriers such as child labor, early marriage, and gender bias against girl education.
The House was particularly disturbed by the alarming number of out-of-school children in Nigeria. According to UNICEF, as of September 2024, Nigeria has 18.3 million out-of-school children, one of the highest figures in the world. The House noted that this crisis has continued to escalate insurgency in the North East region, leading to the closure of schools, abduction of school children, displacement of parents and children, and destruction of schools by Boko Haram and other terrorist organizations.
The House emphasized that it is the responsibility of the state to provide education for its citizens. Parents and guardians who refuse to allow their children and wards to be educated by the state are liable to be prosecuted. The House urged UBEC to take proactive measures to ensure that every child has access to basic education.
To address this issue, the House referred the motion to the Committee on Basic Education and Services. The Committee has been mandated to invite the Management of UBEC to provide a report on the implementation of the scheme. The Committee has also been tasked with ensuring compliance with the provisions of the law.
