Nigeria, Oct. 16 -- The Akwa Ibom State Government says it will deploy a special monitoring task force to tackle truancy, street hawking by school-age children during school hours, and children not enrolled in school.

The state's Commissioner for Education, Ubong Umoh, announced the measure in a statement dated 14 October, saying the ministry had observed children of basic and pre-tertiary school ages roaming the streets and hawking during school hours despite the state's free and compulsory education policy.

Under the proposed enforcement measure, the task force will intercept pupils who arrive late to school or leave class during school hours. It will also confront parents and guardians who fail to enrol their children or wards in sch...