We will arrest parents of children caught hawking during school hours – Governor Fayemi

Worried by the rise in the number of out-of-school pupils in the State, the Governor of Ekiti, south-West Nigeria, Kayode Fayemi, has threatened to henceforth arrest parents of erring students found hawking during school hours.

While speaking at an education stakeholders’ meeting during the weekend, Governor Fayemi said all hands must be on deck to checkmate the declining school enrolment rate in the state.

He urged parents to take advantage of his administration’s free education policy so that the state’s slogan, “Fountain of Knowledge”, does not become an exaggeration.

Fayemi, had shortly after his inauguration in October declared free education from primary school to senior secondary school in the state and abolished all education levies and the education tax introduced by his predecessor, Ayodele Fayose.

He noted at Friday’s meeting that many parents were yet to take full advantage of the free education policy of his administration, adding that part of the responsibilities of government is to ensure that children and youth have access to qualitative education that.

Fayemi said the current school enrolment rate of 55 percent as against 96 percent recorded in 2014 was unacceptable to his government, adding that something must be done urgently to reverse the ugly trend.

The governor’s spokesman, Yinka Oyebode, disclosed in a statement on Sunday that the government has started compiling records of retired teachers with a view to determining available vacancies in the teaching service.

Mr Oyebode added that the administration will soon commence recruitment of competent and qualified teachers who will help to raise the standard of education in the state.

It was also disclosed that the administration has commenced the process of returning mission schools to their original owners, but that government would continue to monitor them to ensure that they do not decline in standard.

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