The Gombe State Government has warned that parents who fail to enrol their children in school risk a two-month jail term or fines, in line with the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) Amendment Law of 2021.

Executive Secretary of SUBEB, Babaji Babadidi, issued the warning on Monday during the flag-off of the 2025/2026 school enrolment drive in Akko Local Government Area. The campaign, tagged Operation Enrol All Children in Schools, was organised in partnership with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and UNICEF.

Babadidi explained that the initiative aims to return at least 400,000 out-of-school children to classrooms across the state, stressing that parents must cooperate for the programme to succeed. He reminded them that under Section 19 of the law, parents are mandated to ensure their children complete both primary and secondary education.

Commissioner for Education, Aishatu Maigari, lamented the high number of out-of-school children, put at over 700,000—nearly 20 per cent of Gombe’s population of four million. She said the government’s huge investments in free education would be wasted if parents fail to act.

The Head of UNICEF’s Bauchi Field Office, Nuzhat Rafique, commended the state for prioritising education and pledged UNICEF’s continued support. Similarly, the Emir of Gona, Umar Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, and Akko Education Secretary, Mannuwa Hamji, threw their weight behind the campaign, with Hamji linking illiteracy to juvenile delinquency and thuggery.

The launch event saw several children formally enrolled into nursery and primary schools, marking the beginning of a renewed drive to drastically cut down the number of out-of-school children in Gombe State.