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The member representing Albasu/Gaya/Ajingi federal constituency of Kano State Hon. Mustapha Tijjani (NNPP) has emphasised the urgent need for the House of Representatives to amend the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education and Child’s Rights Acts.
The proposed legislations; Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act (Amendment) and Child’s Rights Act (Amendment) Bills, 2024 sponsored by Tijjani have passed first reading in the Green Chamber.
Speaking with journalists, the lawmaker said the two bills had been introduced in an attempt to revamp Nigeria’s struggling educational system and provide for homeschooling in Nigeria.
According to him, the Compulsory, Free Universal Basic Education Act Bill, seeks to provide a legal framework for homeschooling, addressing issues of access, quality and inclusivity in education.
He said; “In the advanced world, their children are not hindered, their education has not been hindered. But in this part of Africa and Nigeria in particular, the educational system has been hindered. This shouldn’t have been because a child should have a right to education.
“Any delay that a child is not learning is affecting him, is affecting progress and intelligence, and is affecting the future; it has adverse effects on the economy and the labour force.”
Tijani lamented the alarming number of out-of-school children in Nigeria and insisted that homeschooling could bridge the gap.
“The bill gives parents the option to educate their children at home, either by hiring a local teacher or teaching them personally, using the Nigerian curriculum. Parents who choose homeschooling reduce the strain on government infrastructure and resources. It also minimizes costs associated with uniforms, transportation, and other school-related expenses.
“I’m sorry to say that most of the time, recently, there are issues of immorality that happen in our primary schools and secondary schools.Therefore, we have to protect that. And parents do try as much as possible to give their children morals, to give them a very good attitude.
“Parents don’t necessarily need to connect to online platforms. They can follow the Nigerian curriculum with the help of local teachers or by teaching their children directly.
“Public schools often have overcrowded classrooms, making it hard for teachers to give individual attention. Homeschooling creates an environment where children can receive one-on-one guidance,” he said, adding that the bill proposed mechanisms to ensure adherence to the national curriculum and standards.
