Kano state government would soon begin the arrest of street beggars and parents who refused to send their children to school and forced the girl-child into early marriage, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has said.
Ganduje said the state government, in collaboration with the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, would also forward a bill to the House of Assembly to that effect.
Ganduje stated this Tuesday during an interactive session with UNICEF Youth Advocacy in Government House, Kano.
He said the bill, when signed into law, would make education compulsory for every child from primary to secondary school levels.
The bill, Ganduje further said, would also ban street begging while street beggars would be arrested and their parents prosecuted for failing to give their children formal education.
He said: “Begging is not religion. Begging is not in the religion of Islam. Those children begging on the street instead of going to school will be arrested and their parents be charged to court for failing to take them to school.
The governor also said the bill, when operational, would reform the institution of marriage and discourage early marriage, which affects the well-being of the girl-child negatively.
“These girls are married off at 11, 12 or 13 years without completing their education or even not being taken to school at all. This has a negative impact on their well-being. Their body is not strong enough to withstand the rigorous nature of pregnancy. As such, they become vulnerable to so many diseases.
“Besides, they will not get education which is very important in their life. Women education is a treasure to society. So, we will come up with a law to protect girl-child education,” said Ganduje.
The governor also expressed delight at the quality of teachers in Kano, saying the state has less than three per cent unqualified teachers in its schools.
He thanked the representatives of UNICEF and High Level Women Advocates (HILWA) for coming up with crucial issues on education in the state, saying, “had these moves happened 20 years ago, we would have now been discussing other issues, not education. But it is still not late.
“Education development is a collective effort. All hands must be on deck to achieve that feat. I am very happy with your initiative and visit. You have indeed made my day and scratched where it itches me. Congratulations.”
Earlier in a remark, team leader of UNICEF in Kano, Ni’imatullah Bala Umar, commended the governor for his commitment to education.
He also urged the governor to do more in the area of students’ enrolment, funding and infrastructure, as well as improvement in girl-child education.
