The newly inaugurated Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board, Kassim Muhammed-Kassim, has charged parents of school-age children in the State to either send their children/wards to school or risk an erring fine.

Muhammed-Kassim stated this on Wednesday at his office while addressing senior staff of the board, friends and stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress, as well as traditional rulers who accompanied him to the office shortly after being inaugurated by Governor Abdullahi Sule.

The new NSUBEB chairman said every child has the right to free, compulsory and universal basic education, noting that government has a duty to provide such education and the board under his leadership will do everything possible to make sure teaching and learning are conducive for the children.

He explained further that he will ensure that the needy children, “Almajiri,” scattered across the state are enrolled in schools in order for them to receive the compulsory and free education at that level.

The NSUBEB Chairman said the move was part of measures to ensure that every resident of the state is literate and to enable them to have quality life

“Therefore, parents have no excuse not to send their children to school, as the board under my leadership is determined to reposition the basic education system of the state, the law stipulates that any parent or guardian who fails to send his or her child to school commit an offence and would be fined

“As such, sending your children to school is no longer a choice, but compulsory and failure to do so is an offence”

“Any parent who failed to send his child to school must be fine, education in Nasarawa must not only be free but compulsory, the issue of Almajiri will be squarely tackled.

“We will shift attention from SUBEB contracts to other areas that will also benefit the people of the state and staff of the board” he said

He therefore warned that on no account should any parent deny his or her child the right to education, which would unlock the child full potential for a better future.

Speaking earlier, while swearing in the Chairman and members of the board at the Government House, Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule charges the new chairman to quickly settle down and review the staff strength of the primary school teachers with a view to adding fresh hands to strengthen the manpower of the primary and junior secondary education board.

Governor Sule said, “Since our assumption of office in May 2019, we have continued to accord high premium to the education sector, particularly the basic education component.

“It is based on our belief that basic education is the foundation for an egalitarian society, hence the need to sustain our efforts towards repositioning of our primary and junior secondary schools for enhanced quality delivery of service.”

Our correspondent reports that Governor Sule equally inaugurated the Chairman and members of the State local government service commission.