The newly inaugurated Executive Chairman of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Kassim Muhammed-Kassim, has issued a firm warning to parents and guardians across the state: ensure your children attend school or face legal consequences.
Speaking at the NSUBEB headquarters in Lafia on Wednesday, shortly after his inauguration by Governor Abdullahi Sule, Muhammed-Kassim declared that education in Nasarawa State is not only free but also compulsory — and the law will now be strictly enforced.
“Sending your children to school is no longer a choice. It is compulsory, and failure to do so is an offence punishable by law,” he said, addressing senior board staff, traditional rulers, stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and other well-wishers who accompanied him to the office.
He stressed that under his leadership, NSUBEB will focus on creating a conducive teaching and learning environment while ensuring that no child, including the Almajiri population, is left out of basic education.
“Any parent who fails to send his child to school must be fined. The issue of Almajiri will be squarely tackled. Education must not only be free, it must be accessible to all,” Muhammed-Kassim stated.
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He added that the board will shift its attention from contract awarding to more people-focused initiatives that will directly improve basic education and staff welfare.
Earlier at the swearing-in ceremony at the Government House in Lafia, Governor Abdullahi Sule emphasized the administration’s ongoing commitment to education reform.
He urged the new SUBEB chairman to review the staffing needs of primary and junior secondary schools and recruit qualified teachers to boost manpower.
“Since our assumption of office in May 2019, we have continued to accord high premium to the education sector. Basic education is the foundation for an egalitarian society,” Governor Sule said.
In addition to the NSUBEB appointments, the governor also inaugurated the Chairman and members of the State Local Government Service Commission.
As Nasarawa ramps up efforts to achieve universal basic education, stakeholders are watching closely to see how these bold enforcement measures will be implemented across the state.