Manny Ita
Marking the 2026 International Day of Education in Ibadan on Sunday, January 25, the Student Christian Movement (SCM) of Nigeria held a press conference to demand a radical overhaul of the country’s educational accessibility. Speaking under the theme “Students Against Corruption Drive (SACD),” the SCM National President, Dr. Adebayo Kolade, urged the Federal Government to transition beyond the current “free” basic education model to one that is strictly compulsory and legally enforceable. The group proposed that denying a child access to basic education should be formally classified as a “punishable offense against the state,” aimed at holding both negligent parents and failing administrative bodies accountable for the country’s high out-of-school population.
Dr. Kolade expressed deep concern over the rising hidden costs of public education, noting that the “alarming” price of enrollment and miscellaneous fees continues to exclude children from low-income households. He argued that while basic education is technically free in many parts of Nigeria, systemic barriers and cultural resistance in certain regions prevent millions of children from entering the classroom. By criminalizing the denial of education, the SCM believes the government can compel compliance and ensure that education is treated as a fundamental human right rather than a dispensable privilege. “We urged the government to go beyond making basic education free to in addition make it compulsory… we urged the government to make denying children basic education an offense against the state,” Kolade stated.
The movement also called on relevant ministries and stakeholders to review existing policies and remove the financial constraints that undermine the principle of equal access. The press conference concluded with a call for the government at all levels to prioritize education as the “foundation upon which a peaceful and prosperous nation is built.” The SCM emphasized that without a legally backed mandate for school attendance, Nigeria’s socio-economic goals would remain out of reach, as the lack of education continues to fuel cycles of poverty and national instability.
