Gombe Sets Jail Term For Parents, Guardians of Out-of-school Children

The Gombe State Government has warned that parents and guardians who fail to enroll their children in school will face prosecution, with penalties ranging from fines to jail terms.

Babaji Babadidi, Chairman of the Gombe State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), issued the warning on Monday during the launch of the 2025/2026 School Enrolment Campaign at Amada, Akko Local Government Area.

He said defaulting parents risk conviction under Section 19(2) of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021. Offenders may be fined or jailed for one month, with repeat offenders facing up to two months’ imprisonment.

“Every parent should ensure that their child or ward attends and completes primary, junior and senior secondary education,” Babadidi said.

He explained that the state government initially adopted a “carrot” approach by providing free education, including books and learning materials, but could now resort to a “stick” approach if enrolment targets are not met.

The state aims to enroll 400,000 pupils into primary schools this academic year.

700,000 Out-of-school Children in Gombe

Commissioner for Education, Prof Aishatu Maigari, disclosed that Gombe has more than 700,000 out-of-school children, a figure contributing significantly to the North-East’s share of Nigeria’s 18.2 million out-of-school children.

“We cannot sit and fold our arms while our children remain out of school. Every child must be enrolled and will also acquire skills and trades alongside formal education,” Maigari said.

She added that the government has invested heavily in the education sector and urged parents to reciprocate by sending their wards to school.

UNICEF Backs State’s Efforts

Dr Nuzhat Rafique, Chief of UNICEF’s Field Office in Bauchi, described the statistics as “alarming” and emphasized that education is a fundamental right of every child.

“Every child has the right to be in school, to receive quality education, and grow into a productive citizen of society,” Rafique said, represented by Gadi Galadima.

Traditional leaders, including the Emir of Gona, Alhaji Umar Abdulsalam, pledged their support to mobilize communities for the enrolment campaign.

The event also featured the symbolic enrolment of school-age and out-of-school children into various classes.

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