A Bill to prohibit the overseas basic and undergraduate education of children and wards of public officers and other matters has been introduced in the House of Representatives.
The Bill, obtained by Leadership Sunday, was introduced by former Rep. Emmanuel Bello (PDP/Hong/Adamawa) last year and is still lying with the Bills office at the National Assembly.
The bill, if passed into law, will prescribe penalties for public office holders who send their wards abroad to obtain basic education without a “waiver” from the education minister.
But a member of the House, Hon. Friday Itulah(PDP/Edo) said the piece of legislation was totally unnecessary and uncalled for.
“That is rubbish talk. You can send your children anywhere you like. This is democracy, so if you have money you can send your children to go school in space. Issues like that are better taken as motions instead of bills”, he said
The summary of the Bill stated: “Subject to a written waiver granted under the hand of the Minister for Education, every child and/or ward(s) of public servant shall henceforth undergo basic and undergraduate education in the country.
“The Minister for education shall, in consideration of an application for waiver, pursuant to section 1 be guided by the nature of the proposed course of study for an undergraduate applicant, medical condition and the general national interest.
“Without prejudice to the generality of the provisions of this Act, any public officer whose children and /or wards are undergoing basic and undergraduate education overseas immediately before the date when this Act comes into force shall be deemed to be doing so pursuant to a waiver granted by the Minister or for education”, the Bill stated.
The short bill added that, “Otherwise prescribed, any public officer who seeks, applies and procures overseas education and or scholarship for his children or wards for basic or undergraduate education shall be guilty of an offence”.
?