A bill recommending a fine of N50,000 to be paid by parents who fail to provide their children with primary and secondary school education has passed first reading at the Senate.
The Red Chamber also recommended free meals for every child in the country.
The bill proposed by Senator Orji Kalu titled; ‘Compulsory free Universal Basic Education Act 2004, Section 2’, according to Punch.
The section stated that “governments at all levels in the country, shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.”
“Every parent shall ensure that his child or ward attends and completes his primary school education and junior secondary school education by endeavouring to send the child to primary and junior secondary schools.
The Act further states that stakeholders in education in a local government area shall ensure that every parent or person who has the care and custody of a child performs the duty imposed on him under section 2(2) of this Act,” it stated.
The act also recommended p¥nishments for parents who contravene the rule, adding that “On a second conviction, a fine of N2,000 or imprisonment for a term of one month or both; and on subsequent conviction, to a fine of N5,000 or imprisonment for a term of two months or to both.”
