The Gombe State government has issued a strong warning to parents, stressing that failure to enrol their children in school could result in severe penalties, including a two-month jail term or significant fines.
The warning was delivered by the Executive Secretary of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Babaji Babadidi, during the launch of the 2025/2026 enrolment drive in Akko Local Government Area. The event, organised by the state government in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), is part of a concerted effort to address the growing number of out-of-school children in the state.
Babadidi explained that the enrolment campaign aims to bring at least 400,000 children into schools across Gombe, emphasising the critical role of parents in ensuring its success. He stressed that the success of the initiative depends largely on parental cooperation. He further warned that failure to comply with the policy would result in penalties, in accordance with Section 19 of the SUBEB Amendment Law 2021, which mandates parents to ensure their children complete both primary and secondary education.
The Commissioner for Education, Aishatu Maigari, voiced her concern over the alarming number of out-of-school children in the state, which currently stands at over 700,000 out of the state’s estimated population of four million. She cautioned that the government’s significant investments in education would be in vain if parents fail to take advantage of the free education opportunities provided.
This initiative reflects the state government’s unwavering commitment to bridging the education gap and ensuring every child in Gombe has the opportunity to succeed academically.
