Kano govt threatens punishment against parents of out-of-school children

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Kano State government has on Sunday threatened to take decisive action against parents whose children were found roaming streets during school hours instead of being in the school.
The Commissioner of Education, Umar Doguwa made this known during a stakeholders meeting with women on significance of girls education as key for accelerated socio-economic development of Kano State.
Doguwa said the government will not tolerate absenteeism, lateness and children roaming the streets during school hours.
He said that the state government has made education free in the state just as it has provided means of transportation to transport the children to school hence the need for parents to compliment government effort by sending their wards to school.
According to him, “When we came on board, we met education sector in a pathetic situation, we have 5.3 million students in the state, we met about 4.5 students sitting on the floor without chairs and without teaching materials.
“The previous administration shut down 28 boarding schools. We have over 32,000 students in those schools, after the closure, we now have about 9,000 students in boarding schools. Most of them are now in day schools.
“So if the government under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf allocated 29.7 per cent of budget on education, promise to pay salary on time, repair about 70 high capacity vehicles to transport the children to school, we monitor the conduct of the teachers, what about children who don’t go to school and the role of the parents who role it is to send their wards to school?
“The component that is remaining now is the student aspect which we decide to reach out to the parents to know the importance of education, their commitment to allow their children to be in school in good time.
“If we find a child coming late to school, we will invite the parents, explain the situation to them and tell them we want to come before 8am. And if they didn’t heed the calling we will do the needful.
“The way we take measures on teachers who come to school late, so we will take measures on children who come to school late.
“Parents must realize they have a responsibility to send their children (both male and female) to school,” Doguwa however stated.
On her part, the Secretary, High Level Women Association, HILWA, Hajia Ladidi Fagge, said closure of the boarding schools is the genesis of school drop out of girls in the state as they now engaged in the street hawking among others.
She however solicited for the support of the parents especially women to compliment the government efforts by ensuring their children go to school, transit, complete their academic pursuit and attain their full potentials in life.