Renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) has initiated legal action against the Tinubu-led Federal Government, the Minister of Education, and the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), alongside all 36 states of Nigeria.
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The lawsuit, filed in collaboration with an early childhood education expert on behalf of themselves and the Alliance on Surviving COVID-19 and Beyond, addresses the pressing issue of out-of-school children in the nation.
The lawsuit contends that the N68 billion funds allocated by the Universal Basic Education Commission for free basic education remain underutilized, raising concerns about the failure to provide education for every Nigerian child of school age.
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The Attorneys General of all states and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory are respondents in the case, which seeks legal clarity on the obligation to offer free, compulsory, and universal basic education.
Femi Falana, in a sworn affidavit submitted on January 26, 2024, highlighted a recent report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), revealing a staggering 20.2 million out-of-school children in Nigeria.
With one in three children deprived of education, Nigeria holds the disheartening record for the highest number of out-of-school children globally.
The applicants are seeking several declarations from the court, including the legal obligation to provide free basic education, the required annual contributions by the Federal Government and states, and the illegal refusal or failure to access the allocated N68 billion.
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The court is also urged to direct the state authorities to pay the counterpart fund and access the matching grant promptly.
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