Tambuwal Commends Sokoto Assembly for Passing Right to Education Law

Mohammed Aminu Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, yesterday described the passage of the Right to Education law by the state House of Assembly as a great leap geared towards providing free and compulsory basic education to all children in the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Malam Imam Imam, made available to journalists in Sokoto.

The statement said the lawmakers deserve special praise considering the diligent manner they committed themselves to the passage of the important legislation.

According to the statement, this was a key intervention in the state government’s efforts to expand access to education in the state.

“The decision to pass this law has given us the necessary legal framework to push forward our policy of the state of emergency we declared in the sector over a year ago. We commend especially members of the assembly’s committee on education who showed enough zeal and determination to convince their colleagues to pass the bill at a record time.

“As the first state in Nigeria to make education a right, we hope to implement the provisions of the law to the latter. For us, the work on realising our objectives for the education sector has only just begun.

“We seek the support and cooperation of members of the public and all stakeholders, local and international, to enable us provide quality and accessible education to our children,” the statement read.

The statement added that the working relationship existing between the three arms of government in the state is worthy of emulation from all and sundry, adding that the same zeal would be extended to ensure smooth passage of other executive bills currently before the lawmakers.

The Right to Education law will compel government and parents to ensure all children between the ages of six and 18 are educated on public expense.

It also prescribes punishment for parents and guardians who refuse to let their children attend school.

This also include the institutionalisation of the SchoolBased Management Committee (SBMC), which ensures public schools are properly supervised by parents and members of the public.