The State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Mr Okey Kanu, made this known on Monday at a press briefing on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia.
Kanu said that this initiative reflected the state’s commitment to ensuring that every child received a basic education, with free schooling available up to the end of junior secondary school in line with the 2006 Abia State Child Rights Law
“There is no reason whatsoever why parents should not send their children to school.
“The issue of indigency is no longer the reason for non-acquisition of free and basic education in Abia State so as from the first of January 2025, when this policy will come into full effect, parents who default would be prosecuted under that law.
“This course is part of the reforms that are ongoing in the educational sector,” he said.
According to him, the policy underscored the government’s stance that financial constraints should no longer be a barrier to education for any child in Abia.
He added that the initiative aligns with the ongoing reforms carried out by the government in the education sector.
The Commissioner said that the present administration had introduced several key policies and initiatives to advance education, infrastructure, and workers welfare.
He further stated that the relocation order by the government for the relocation of Umuahia campus of Abia State University back to its Uturu main campus remains firm.
Kanu expressed the readiness of the government to engage with affected stakeholders to address any concerns,and said that the decision was made with the students’ and the institution’s best interests in mind.