…Education Ministry okays UBE Act amendment
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has frowned at the section of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act that pronounces jail terms for parents or guidance who failed to ensure their wards are in school.
Spark News Daily learnt that the UBE Act 2004, states, “A parent who contravenes section 2 (2) of this act commits an offence and is liable – (a) on first conviction, to be reprimanded; (b) on second conviction, to a fine of N2,000:00 or imprisonment for a term of 1 month or to both; and (c) on subsequent conviction, to a fine of N5,000:00 or imprisonment for a term of 2 months or to both.
The Union made this known at the Public hearing on the Bill for an Act to Amend the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 and Other Related Matters, jointly organised by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Education, on Friday 7th March, 2025.
Speaking at the hearing, the National President of NUT, Comrade Audu Titus Amba, said it is improper to criminalise the inability of parents or guidance to send their wards to school.
Comrade Amba, represented by Barr. Okoroafor Okechukwu, Director, Legal Services expressed concern over imposition of jail term on offenders, saying “if you send a parent or guidance to jail who takes care of that child?
“Before the parent or guidance return from jail, the child would have metamorphosed into a bandit or terrorist, thereby becoming a threat to the society”.
He advised the National Assembly to be mindful of that section of the UBE Act, to avoid creating a social dislocation while trying to strengthen the educational system.
The NUT President stated that instead of criminalising the inability of parents or guidance to send their wards to school, UBEC should invoke a social approach as contained in section 9 sub 10 of the UBEC Act that harps on mobilization, sensitization and advocacy on the importance of sending our children to school.
“The importance of education cannot be over-emphasised, Media approach cannot be in lack or want of how to present the benefits of education to these uninformed parents
“Over 20 years of using the approach of sending parents to jail as contained in our UBE Act, yet there are communities of beggars with their streams of children roaming the streets, especially in FCT”, he said.
While explaining that Nigeria subscribed to the Sustainable Development Goals which talks of quality education, inclusivity, and reduction of inequality, Comrade Amba asserted, “NUT is saying we should de-emphasize sending people to jail”.
The Union also sent a strong message to UBEC that the harsh conditions placed on accessing matching grants is not punishment to the states governors but to the teeming Nigerian children whose access to quality education is been denied.
However, the Ministry of Education has expressed its full support for the Bill seeking to amend the UBE Act 2004.
The Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, represented by Mr. Matthew Nganjiozor, Director (RPS – NMIS), said the proposed Bill will give our children the best of education.
“So, the Federal Ministry of Education is in full support. The Honourable Minister is in full support”, Nganjiozor said.
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