The Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has said his government will kick off the arrest and prosecution of parents and guardians of out-of-school children from the next academic session, which begins on September 12.
Obaseki told journalists on Sunday that all machinery had been put in place for the enforcement.
He added that the government, in partnership with the state’s judiciary, had set up special courts to prosecute perpetrators of sexual and physical abuses against children in schools in the state.
The governor said his administration was committed to guaranteeing the care, protection and wellbeing of every Edo child.
He said, “If we find any child under the age of 18 years being used for manual labour, such parents will be prosecuted. We thank the Chief Judge for providing special courts which will be used to prosecute any offender who perpetrates violence against any child or involves in sexual defilement or physical abuse in our school system.
“From September 12, when school resumes, any child found loitering or hawking during school hours will be arrested and the parents or guardians will be prosecuted and seriously dealt with. We have specially trained people to observe and watch over our children to ensure no child is abused in Edo State.
“School resumes on Monday, September 12, 2022, and teaching must commence the same day. I will send out a special squad to monitor schools across the state; I will also monitor the schools myself, alongside with the Commissioner of Education,” the governor added.
Harping on the infrastructure development in schools across the state, Obaseki said, “I have instructed the Ministry of Education to demolish all dilapidated buildings in our schools. For those schools really dilapidated, we will move the students to other schools and rebuild the schools.
“We will be spending a lot of resources to ensure no child sits on the ground to learn. By the time the Commissioner of Education will be completing her term, no Edo child should sit on the ground to learn.
“Commencing from September 12 when the new school calendar will start, I have also directed the Ministry of Education to set up a cleanup system to clean all Edo schools.”
