Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano Stata has strongly warned parents who refuse to send their children to school in the state, as well as children who beg on the streets instead of going to school, against the risk of being arrested and prosecuted.

He noted that his administration had ensured that over 30,000 primary and secondary school teachers in the state got quality certificates for teaching, saying “Kano has less than three per cent unqualified teachers, but we will ensure they all go back to school to earn quality teaching certificates.”

Making the statement on Monday during an interactive session with the UNICEF’s (United Nations Children’s Fund) Youth Advocacy at the Government House, Kano, Ganduje said to this effect that his administration in collaboration with the Emir of Kano, His Royal Highness, Muhammad Sanusi 11, had concluded plans to send a bill to the state’s House of Assembly.

He stated that the bill would ensure that the primary and secondary schools education be made free and compulsory to all school age children in the state, saying, “with the bill signed into law, parents who refuse to enroll their children in school will be taken to court.”

His words: “Children who choose to beg on the streets, rather than go to school will be arrested and their parents will also be charged to court for prosecution, because begging is not part of our religion. Begging is not part of Islam.”

“Being the most populous state in Nigeria,  we want our population to be an asset to us. Just as China has conquered the world as a result of its population is the same way Kano will conquer Nigeria,” Governor Ganduje said.

Earlier in his remark, the leader of the UNICEF’s Youth Advocacy group, Mr Nimatullah Bala Umar had said: “We recognise the efforts of the Kano State government towards addressing the issue of out-of-school children and the implementation of various programmes in the state to improve children’s access to quality education. We commend Kano State government under your leadership.”