A bill seeking to ensure free and compulsory basic education for children in Nigeria as prescribed in the Universal Basic Education Act, 2004 has passed the second reading at the Senate.

The bill, sponsored by Idiat Adebule (APC, Lagos West), was passed after most of the senators voted in its support.

It proposed a penalty of N250,000 against parents who fail to enrol their children in primary and secondary schools.

Section 2 (1) and (2) of the UBE Act states that “Every Government in Nigeria shall provide free, compulsory and universal basic education for every child of primary and junior secondary school age.

“Every parent shall ensure that his child or ward attends and completes his (a) primary school education and (b) junior secondary school education by endeavouring to send the child to primary and junior secondary schools.”

Mrs Adebule, while leading the debate on the bill, said that if the bill is passed, it will reduce the high rate of out-of-school children in the country.

She said most parents whose children are out of school were not concerned because there was no punishment for them.

The senator said poverty should not be an excuse for not acquiring a western education. Mrs Adebule, after that, called on the lawmakers to support the passage of the bill.

Sunday Karimi (APC, Kogi West) said education is currently not free in public primary and secondary schools across the country.

He supported the bill and urged his colleagues to pass it accordingly.

Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan also supported the bill.

Mr Lawan said education should be the right of all Nigerian children and that poverty should not be an excuse. He called for an oversight function on education boards across the country.

Asuquo Ekpeyong (Cross River) also said the proposed N250,000 was too lenient on offending parents. He called for a stiffer penalty.

Ekong Sampson (PDP, Akwa-Ibom South) urged the federal government to invest in education.

Adamu Aliero (PDP, Kebbi Central) said the increasing number of out-of-school children contributed to the worsening security situation in the country.