Lagos Assembly Passes Bill Making Yoruba Language Compulsory

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Thursday passed the Bill making the teaching of Yoruba Language compulsory in schools in the state into law.

The passage of the bill was sequel to its successfully scaling through the Third Reading on the floor of the House.

The Bill among others, make the teaching of Yoruba Language compulsory in all schools in Lagos State.

It also mandated both private and public schools including the language as a core subject at all levels and that state owned tertiary institutions shall incorporate the use of the language as a course unit into their General Nigeria Studies (GNS).

After the First Reading of the Bill, a public hearing in which stakeholders in the education sector were invited to offer input into the Bill was organised after which the Bill successfully went through the Second Reading.

The Bill provided for a fine of N500,000 for a corporate offender while any school in the state which fails to comply with the law faces closure and a fine of N250,000.

The Bill was finally passed on Thursday with the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa ordering the Clerk of the House, Mr. Azeez Sanni to send a clean draft copy of the Bill to the state Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode for his assent.