The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP,  has urged Nigerians to call on President Goodluck Jonathan to  implement the judgment requiring the government to provide as of right, free, quality, and compulsory basic education to every Nigerian child.

In a statement in Lagos, the group said, ” Nigerians should take advantage of the social media to give a voice to the campaign to ensure  that the over 12 million Nigerian children outside the school system are given  free, quality and compulsory  basic education by the government.”

Following a case instituted by group against the Nigerian government, the ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in November 2010 delivered a ground-breaking judgment requiring the government to provide as of right, free, quality, and compulsory basic education to every Nigerian child.

The court among others ordered the government to: make adequate provisions for the compulsory and free education of every child forthwith; ensure that the right to education is not to be undermined by corruption; ensure that funds disbursed for basic education are properly used for this purpose; and recover stolen education funds to cover the shortfall in order to avoid denying any of its people the right to education.

However, since the judgment was delivered, the government has neither acknowledged the judgment nor taken steps to implement the letter and spirit of the judgment.  More than 12 million Nigerian children of school age still roam the streets and have no access to primary education.

SERAP and its partners the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), INTERIGHTS, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), and Nigerian Guild of Editor (NGE) have asked President Goodluck Jonathan and the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to ensure the full and effective implementation of the judgment. But both have so far ignored the request, and have not acknowledged the judgment.

Article 15(4) of the ECOWAS Treaty makes the Judgment of the Court binding on Member States, including Nigeria. Also, Article 19(2) of the 1991 Protocol provides that the decisions of the Court shall be final and immediately enforceable.

CALL TO ACTION: Please send Facebook and Twitter messages to President Jonathan and the Attorney General as suggested below:

1. I know that Nigeria has the resources and capacity to implement the ECOWAS Court right to education judgment if the government is able to exercise the required political will.

2. I join other Nigerians to plead with President Jonathan and the Attorney General for the sake of Nigerian children to publicly acknowledge the judgment and tell Nigerians how the government plans to fully and effectively implement the judgment

3. I believe that your government can do it especially given your courage in signing into law the Freedom of Information Act. Mr President, please ACT NOW

 Or use  the summarised versions:

Facebook message:

President Jonathan, Pls ACT NOW on the right to free education (judgment) for all Nigerian children!

On Twitter:

Tweet and  re- tweet @presgoodluck

– ChildRight2Education: President Jonathan Pls Act Now!

Hashtag #

Or join the debate @ hashtag #EducationNowJonathan

Remember to say : President Jonathan Pls Act Now!