A bill seeking to regulate international studies for the children of public officials and strengthen educational institutions in Nigeria has been rejected by members of the House of Representatives.

The members said the bill was an affront to their fundamental human rights.

But the bill sponsored by Hon. Serguis Ogun representing Esan North-East federal constituency of Edo was ultimately seeking to stop public officials from diverting public funds to their children’s education abroad.

Titled “A Bill for an Act to Regulate International Studies for Wards and Children of Nigerians Public Officers, So as to Strengthen Indigenous Institutions to Provide Efficient Educational Service for National Development”, it was roundly debated although it was eventually rejected when put to voice vote.

In his lead debate on the general principle of the bill, Ogun said the objectives of the bill included strengthening indigenous educational institutions to meet global standards; boosting the economy by reducing cash flight and foreign exchange; reducing brain drain and instituting good welfare conditions for indigenous academics, experts and professionals based abroad to come back home and develop their country with their skills and expertise; building a better society by developing formidable educational institutions and facilitating the realization of the fundamental objectives and policies of state enshrined in Chapter two of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended).

He said: “The bill does not prevent public officers or private citizens from sending their children/wards for studies abroad, it only seeks to ensure that a public officer who desires to send his/her child/ward abroad, does not divert public funds to so do. Thus, such a public servant must first show that he/she has the legitimate means to sponsor his/her child/ward on such foreign education trips.

“The bill will help in fostering the development of our educational institutions as it will instill accountability and seriousness into public servants at all levels who are saddled with the responsibility of implementing the policies and programmes of government.

“The bill when enacted will help to redirect the huge funds that fly out to other countries, into the relevant sectors of our economy. It will bring about better facilities in our national life.
Policy Implementation: This bill when passed into law will foster the fight against corruption which is one of the cardinal policies of this current administration.

“This bill when passed into law will engender the actualization of the provisions of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a party. Article 5 of the Convention provides that; “Each State Party shall, in accordance with the fundamental principles of its legal system, develop and implement or maintain effective, coordinated anti-corruption policies that promote the participation of society and reflect the principles of the rule of law, proper management of public affairs and public property, integrity, transparency, and accountability”.

“This bill when passed into law will foster the realization of the directive principle of state policy contained in chapter two of the Constitution which provides that;
“(1) Government shall direct its policy towards ensuring that there are equal and adequate educational opportunities at all levels. (2) Government shall promote science and technology (3) Government shall strive to eradicate illiteracy; and to this end Government shall as and when practicable provide:
(a) free, compulsory and universal primary education; (b) free secondary education; (c) free university education; and (d) free adult literacy programme”.

“This bill does not infringe on the right to family and private life as well as other fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution. The bill only seeks to regulate the practice of public servants sending their children/wards abroad for studies, while neglecting the development of our indigenous educational institutions.

“The fact that there are no similar legislation in other jurisdictions does not obviate us (Lawmakers) of the duty to make laws to address peculiar challenges that bedevil us as a nation and correct ills when they exist, as required of us, by section 88(2) of the Constitution (Supra). For instance, the Republic of China introduced the “one-child birth” policy in late 1970, so as to reduce the massive growth rate in China’s population, which the Chinese government thought to be too high. The policy helped to cut down the population. In a report credited to the Chinese government, it was stated that an estimated 400 million births were prevented by the policy. This bill is an example of such drastic policies required to tackle national problems. Also, the absence of similar legislation in other climes, only shows that they have built their educational institutions to a point of global admiration and have thus become educational tourism destinations for underdeveloped nations.

Mr. Speaker, Honourable Colleagues, as I speak now, students of Nigerian Universities are sitting at home doing nothing, due to the strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), in protest against poor remuneration, poor infrastructure, and poor conditions of service, under-funding of universities, delay in the payment of the elongated salary structure amongst others. These and other sundry issues will be addressed when this bill is passed into law and its provisions properly implemented. We may not be able to quantify the worth of quality education in terms of its impact on the individual, family, and nation. But there is no gainsaying the fact that without quality education, a nation has no future.”

But speaking against the bill, some lawmakers said they had the right to train their children anywhere without using public funds.

One of the lawmakers was Hon. Chinyere Igwe (PDP, Rivers).

He said “It offends fundamental human rights which guarantees freedom of movement. Most public officers that send their children to school abroad don’t do that with public funds. I also don’t agree that is the reason the educational system in Nigeria is failing. I urge him to withdraw the Bill”.

Corroborating Igwe’s position, Hon. Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP, Delta), said it was against the constitution.

“It’s against the constitution in terms of discrimination. My children have the right to be educated anywhere in the world. The bill should not see the light of the day. He should just step it down”, he said.

The bill when put to voice was killed by the majority of the House members who shouted no to its passage for second reading.

Source:https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/03/reps-reject-bills-seeking-to-stop-children-of-public-officers-from-schooling-abroad-2/

I'm in support of the rejection.

I can be in their shoes someday & wouldn't want anyone step on my human rights.

What's bad for the goose is bad for the gander. If you know, you know.

Nigeria is just like a place for clowns

Ok...but who passed the bill in the first place?
What was the person expecting?
I refuse to believe that a Nigerian politician came up with that bill.

Just like asking Buhari to abolish Ruga...or sign a bill that will stop the free entry of Buhari cousins, nieces, nephews, aunties and uncles from entering Nigeria through Chad border

Or passing a bill that will stop sitting allowance for our rubber stamp.

Wake me up when they start selling form for those that wants to go to Ukraine and join their military in fighting.... Naija na cruise

Our law makers are one of our big problems.

Ss

Who sponsors such bill? Lol

Thieves! They will never allow it. They have killed education in our country

los,,, seriously NA is not the right place to raise such kind of bill

The bill does not make sense.
So if I come from diaspora and come to serve Nigeria, my wards will have to leave school abroad and come school in Nigeria.

Thanks to the reps for throwing it out.

Until they put a stop to things like this, including medical trips abroad, owing bank accounts abroad etc by public servants, Nigeria will remain a very sorry state.

Long overdue

Do u suspect your spouse is cheating?
Let's help you clone your spouse's WhatsApp messages and get them delivered directly into your own phone....

0 eight one 130 seven seven one 67

Why won't they reject it when it doesn't favour them?

God deliver this nation.

Before nko? What were they expecting? Bunch of useless leaders.

Welcome to Nigeria

Why they no go rejectam,but ehh we Africans talk say we get brain to invent,but big men children deh go abroad study come back and just enter politics and take over their parents businesses or become musicians like their black American counterparts,y see ehh,here in the US blacks na werey including me

Very good. We live in a capitalist society. Everyone is free to buy what they can afford. We all want democracy until it gets to the turn of the rich, then we want government to cripple them.

Sentiments is not going to get you anywhere. Don't let sentiments cloud your reasoning.

aspabay:
The bill does not make sense.
So if I come from diaspora and come to serve Nigeria, my wards will have to leave school abroad and come school in Nigeria.

Thanks to the reps for throwing it out.

Then you leave the position for those who are willing to do it, the stage at which this country is right now requires such sacrifices if we want the country to improve, at the stage Nigeria is right now, I would have suggested both the lower and upper house work for free as volunteers and remove constituency allowance and projects, they should leave all that for the executives to handle, if you are not OK to volunteer to work for free to help your people make good laws, leave it for those that are ready to do it...


I can see a lot people here happy about the rejection of the bill and tomorrow you come out and complain why things are not working, you guys don't obviously know how the human nature is, Once something that affects your neighbor automatically affects you, you will help your neighbor to protect yourself...

We're not ready to implement change in Nigeria.

If you believe that your administration is all about change, why not stake it with the lives of your families and loved ones?


Follow what they do, not what they say.

Get your visa, Japa

They are right tho. Just because they are public officers or in leadership position doesn't mean they should pay heavily with their kids. 90% of us here would have preferred to be educated abroad. And it not even because of the certificate but because we want to be exposed. Some of this reps may even be sponsoring people abroad, so they should now subject their kids to Nigeria institution especially when they have the capability to afford international studies.

Everything shouldn't be about hating on politician. I said and I quote "my children won't school in Nigeria if I'm in power"

Shikena

Oooohhh, so they have fundermental human rights! Interesting!!!

One of the very useless bills.

So because I am a Nigerian politician my children must then school in Nigeria.
People don't go abroad just because the country is bad. There are Chinese, British, German etc students schooling outside their country.

Let those who will study in Nigeria do, and those who can afford going abroad, let them go.

Of course, it is a selfish representation not of the people. One of the ills of democracy!

Who proposed the bill sef

And they said power belongs to the people, it's high time the common man on the street start voting when they are passing bills, this politicans will always satisfy their interest first before anyone.

Reject bill na in sure pass

I pity dis country and the idiots above dis post supporting dem.
If dis country is ever going to move forward, it will start from d politicians.
If ur kids don't school here, how do u fix d educational system.
If u don't use our hospitals, how do u fix it

If u are poor in dis country, just know dat u are a slave here, I was in queue for over 5 hours yesterday just to get petrol.

Some people are still hating on d west for their part in slave trade centuries ago while our politicians are subjecting Nigerians to modern day slavery.

All these politicians are bastards.
This bill would’ve help solve every issue the education sector is facing in the country.

Las las na politicians be the problem we get for this country

No surprise here