From Noah Ocheni, Lokoja
The Kogi State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Wemi Jones, said the state government would henceforth prosecute any child of school age hawking during school hours.
Jones stated this in Lokoja during a Stakeholders’ Sensitisation Meeting on the newly enacted Kogi State Education Law.
According to the Commissioner, it has become an offence in the State for a child of school age not to be in school or hawking during school hours as stipulated in Section 9 of the Kogi education law.
”If any child is seen hawking or doing anything during school hour, that child shall be apprehended by the Special Marshals that will be put in place till the parent or guardian of such child comes forward to give cogent reason why the child is not in school”, he said.
The Commissioner also added that the issue of proliferation of private schools had become a source of concern and worry to the state government, saying Section 20 provides and stipulates the conditions for such establishment.
He, however, said that those schools that were already established and did not meet the stipulated conditions would be given ample time to visit the Ministry and do the needful.
He added that henceforth every private school that wants to operate in Kogi State, must register with the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS).
The Commissioner also added that all illegal schools operating in Kogi would be shut down as stipulated by the education law.
”All illegal schools in the state would be closed down as empowered by Section 20, subsection 3, of the education law,” he added.
