The Benue State Government is providing free education from primary to junior secondary school for children whose parents cannot afford school fees.
This was disclosed by Mrs. Mary Ejeh, Director of Child at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Ejeh explained that the state, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, is ensuring that any child willing to go to school can access free education up to Junior Secondary School 3 in public schools.
“So far, most of the children are off the streets and in school, and the government is doing all it can to make sure they are off the streets totally,” she said.
“Although we can’t force them to go to school, if they are willing to gain education, then they can go to any government school for free,” she added.
On the enforcement of the Child Rights Act, Ejeh noted that no one had been prosecuted yet for violating the law.
“The child rights law has been fully implemented by the government, but so far, we have not received any report of persons being prosecuted for violating the law,” she said.
She encouraged members of the public to provide useful information that could lead to the arrest of individuals violating the Child Rights Act, stressing the government’s commitment to upholding the law.
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