Reps reject bill prohibiting public office holders from educating children abroad

The House of Representatives has rejected a bill that seeks to ban public office holders from sending their children and wards to be educated abroad.

The bill, sponsored by Sergius Ogun, a lawmaker representing Esan North/East Federal Constituency of Edo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aims to strengthen educational institutions in Nigeria by banning elected officials from sending their children abroad while leaving the country’s education to rot.

Pointblanknews.com had earlier reported how public officials prefer sending their children to choicest universities abroad while those who could not afford the luxury, endure frequent disruptions in their children’s education due to strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

But Ogun argued that banning children of public office holders from sending their children abroad to be educated would strengthen the sector.

The bill is 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.”

Ogun, in laying down the general principle of the bill, said it 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 instil 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.

“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.”