Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has signed into law a bill for compulsory primary and secondary education.
He said the state government would arrest and prosecute any parent who refused to send his or her child to school to acquire formal education.
Speaking with journalists after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting yesterday, the state Commissioner for Education, Mr Jonathan Obuebite, said every child of school age must now be enrolled into the various model schools of the government.
Obuebite said any child seen loitering or hawking on the streets during school hours will be picked up while their parents or guardian will be dealt with as provided in the new law.
He said, “We have spent over N70 billion building and equipping our schools. Today we have quality infrastructure and facilities across our schools in every local government area. We feel it is important to have this law to protect that investment.”
The State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ebitimitula Etebu, also commended the governor for signing into law a bill establishing the School of Midwifery.
According to him, the law will boost primary healthcare delivery in the state.
