Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya
Gombe State Government has issued a stern warning to parents and guardians to ensure their children are in school, or be ready to face legal consequences, including imprisonment.
This was made clear by Babaji Babadidi, Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), during the official launch of the 2025/2026 School Enrolment Campaign held in Amada, Akko Local Government Area, on Monday.
Citing the SUBEB Amendment Law of 2021, Babadidi emphasized that any parent found guilty of not enrolling their children in school could face up to two months in prison.
“Every parent should ensure that his child or ward attends and completes primary, junior and senior secondary education,” he stated.
He warned that, “Any parent, who contravenes Section 19(2) of the law commits an offence and is liable, upon conviction, to pay a fine or serve a one-month prison sentence. Subsequent convictions also attract a substantial fine or imprisonment for a term of two months.”
Babadidi noted that the government had previously employed a more lenient strategy by offering free education, but said stricter enforcement may become necessary if the current drive to enroll 400,000 pupils falls short.
“However, if we fail to meet our target of enrolling 400,000 students into primary schools this session, we will revert to the stick approach by enforcing the law,” he added.
Commissioner for Education, Prof. Aishatu Maigari, disclosed that Gombe State currently has over 700,000 out-of-school children. She linked this figure to the broader issue in the North-East, which accounts for 15% of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school children.
“We cannot sit and fold our arms while our children remain out-of-school,” Maigari said.
“We will ensure every child is enrolled. Every child will receive quality education, and also learn a trade, which does not necessarily mean working for government.
“An educated person can become an employer of labour through skills and entrepreneurship acquired in school.”
She noted that the state had invested significantly in educational resources, including school bags, exercise books, and learning materials, urging parents to make use of these opportunities.
Community leaders were also praised for their role in encouraging enrolment, with the Chief of UNICEF Field Office, Bauchi, Dr. Nuzhat Rafique, describing the situation in Gombe as “alarming.”
“Every child has the right to be in school, to receive quality education, and grow into a productive citizen of society,” Rafique stressed.
She called the campaign a “critical moment” and appealed to parents, children, and stakeholders to rally behind it.
Representing the Emir of Gona, Alhaji Umar Abdulsalam, Gadi Galadima reaffirmed the traditional council’s support for the campaign, applauding Governor Inuwa Yahaya for prioritizing education.
The event concluded with a symbolic enrolment of both first-time schoolchildren and older out-of-school youth into formal education programs.
