Gov Kefas’s Free Education: Man Relocates Seven Children From Abuja To Jalingo

A police inspector, Musa Bala Yerima said he has relocated his family from Abuja to Jalingo in order to enroll his children to schools under the Governor Agbu Kefas's free education policy

 

Musa Bala Yerima said his seven children have been enrolled into a public school in Jalingo under the free education policy of Governor Agbu Kefas.

 

Musa Bala Yerima spoke to Rock FM Jalingo correspondent at Government Day Secondary School Kona where he had registered two of his children and said the free education policy has brought great relief to poor families.

 

He said had earlier registered five of his children at a Primary School in Mayo Dassa 

 

He said the free education policy in Taraba State will help him give his children basic education they need in life.

 

"Am a Police Inspector attached to a politician and I live in Abuja with my seven children, but have brought them to Jalingo and registered them for free in the school.

 

"I brought my family back to Jalingo because the Governor said schools will be free under his administration, am from Karim Lamido Local Government living in Abuja but this police job my salary is very small and I can't send all my seven children to school in Abuja. We can't even feed well in Abuja and it's only the two eldest that are going to school before now.

 

"They are 13 and 10 years old but the younger ones have wanted to attend school too but I couldn't afford it. When I heard that education will be free in my state, I decided to bring my family back home while I work my transfer back to Taraba so that I can stay with my family," Musa Bala Yerima told our reporter.

 

Principal of Government Day Secondary School Howai, Jalingo Christy Zaku said that about 500 new students enrolled in the first week of resumption, adding that she is overwhelmed with the turn out of new students to her school.

"When we resume on Monday we had about 100 new enrollment, the following day we had 200 new enrollment and it keep increasing

At Central Primary School Jalingo, the Headmaster of the school Zaphania Anthony expressed joy with the enrollment of new pupils in his school stressing that the situation is attributed to the free education policy of Governor Kefas.

Taraba Truth and Fact gathered that pupils from neighboring states have flooded many public schools for enrollments.

The Taraba State commissioner of Education, Dr Augustina Godwin said the state government has set up a committee to intercept any child of school age on the streets during school hours to trace his or her parents for possible arrest and prosecution.

 

The commissioner said Governor Agbu Kefas had made education free, basic and compulsory for all children of school age irrespective of tribe, religion, political background or status.

 

The commissioner stated that the governor had allocated money for the running cost of all public schools for the implementation of the free and basic education policy and he is not ready to take any excuse from any parent while a child of school age should be found on the street during school hours.

 

She called on parents with more than one child not to hesitate to take all the children to schools, stating that the education policy did not give a specific number of children a parent should enroll into the schools.

 

"We are going to intercept any child of school age found roaming the streets in the state during school hours. We will trace their parents and arrest them for possible prosecution; we have made a law to that effect. There is a specific fine such parents will pay for disobeying state laws.

 

"The governor had explained that instructional materials have already been paid for and the onward distribution of the materials is going to commence from next week immediately after schools resume. The governor further explained that provision for uniforms will commence January 2024.