- Gombe State schoolchildren call for action against child begging and hawking
- Children urge stakeholders to ensure access to quality education
- Free education and transportation proposed to support children’s education
- State government commits to providing free education and enacting Child Protection Law
Schoolchildren in Gombe State have made a passionate plea to the state government and parents to take drastic action against the menace of child begging and hawking. The children, who visited the state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, emphasized the importance of accessible education and urged stakeholders to ensure that all children have access to quality education.
Wisdom Peter, speaking on behalf of the delegation, called for free education from primary to junior secondary school and a reduction in senior secondary school and tertiary education fees. He also proposed the introduction of transportation buses in the city and towns to support children’s education.
Ramlat Ahmed, a student of Ilimi International School Gombe, expressed concern over the plight of children forced into begging and hawking, denying them Western education. She emphasized that every child deserves education and the best opportunities in life.
In response, the state commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Asma’u Iganus, assured the children of the state government’s commitment to providing free education to all. She also announced plans to provide school buses and enact the Child Protection Law to address violence against children.
