The Benue government is offering free education from primary to secondary school level to children whose parents cannot afford to pay for their education.
Mrs Mary Ejeh, Director of Child, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Makurdi.
Ejeh said the state government, through the Ministry of Women Affairs, had given free education to any child who was willing to be educated from primary school to JSS 3 in public schools.
“So far, most of the children are off the streets and in school, and the government is doing all it can to make sure they are off the streets totally.
“Although we can’t force them to go to school, if they are willing to gain education, then they can go to any government school for free,” she stated.
On the number of persons prosecuted for violating the Child Rights Act, Ejeh said so far the ministry had no record of anyone that had been prosecuted.
“The child rights law has been fully implemented by the government, but so far, we have not received any report of persons being prosecuted for violating the law.
“The government is open to any information leading to the arrest of any person who violates the Child Rights Act,” the director said. (NAN)
