Abia Govt announces free, compulsory education for all children

The Abia State government has declared free and compulsory education for all children in the state, regardless of their origin, beginning January 2025.

This initiative will cover education from Primary One to Junior Secondary School Three in all public schools.

Prince Okey Kanu, the Commissioner for Information, made this announcement during a press briefing following the State Executive Council meeting. He emphasized that parents and guardians who fail to comply with the new policy will face legal consequences.

“In accordance with the Abia Child’s Rights Law of 2006, it is now a punishable offense for parents to deny their children or wards access to education, given that the government has ensured it is free and mandatory,” Kanu stated.

Abia Varsity Law Faculty

Also, he said there was no going back on the proposed relocation of the Law Faculty of the Abia State University, Umuahia campus, back to Uturu main campus.

He explained that the decision was taken in the overall public interest.

The Commissioner also announced that contract had been awarded for the rehabilitation of nine additional roads in different parts of the state, and promised to provide details of the new road projects later.

He also disclosed that Government would attend to all issues arising from the implementation of the new minimum wage.

The Commissioner further said that the Governor had directed the Commissioner for Works to effect immediate repairs on the failed portion of the Osisioma ‘fly -over’ built by the immediate-past administration of Gov Okezie Ikpeazu.

He regretted that “the ‘fly-over’ which is the signature project of that administration has started failing within two years”.

Contributing, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Ferdinand Ekeoma, said that the opening on the ‘fly-over’ was widening and multiple, but “does not pose any immediate threat”.