Nigeria’s Education Minister, Tahir Mamman, and his Minister of State counterpart, Tanko Sununu, have appealed to principals of the nation’s Federal Government Colleges (FGCs), otherwise referred to as unity schools, to always heed security warnings and safeguard their schools from potential attacks and banditry.
Speaking on Monday during a meeting in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital (FCT) with the principals of almost all the 112 unity colleges nationwide, Mr Mamman, a professor, described the colleges as national treasures that must be protected at all costs.
According to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Ben Goong, the meeting was in continuation of briefings from departments and chief executive officers of agencies under the ministry.
The statement noted that the minister emphasised the significance of vigilance, “stressing that early security warnings should be taken seriously and not disregarded.”
Sununu speaks
Also speaking, Mr Sununu praised the principals for their patriotism and commitment to serving the nation. He however called on the teachers to remain vigilant “and adopt extra measures to ensure the security of their respective institutions.”
“Mr Sununu directed the principals to collaborate with traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents, and all security agencies, forming a cohesive alliance to guarantee the security of all federal unity schools,” the statement noted.
Principals seek rural posting entitlements
Meanwhile, responding on behalf of her colleagues, the Chairperson of the Association of Principals of Nigerian Unity Colleges, Idowu Akinbamijo, assured the ministers of her colleagues’ commitment to ensuring the protection of lives and property in their care.
Mrs Akinbamijo, who is the Principal of the Federal Science and Technical College, Ilesa, Osun State, added that as parents, the security of the students and staff is of utmost priority.
Mrs Akinbamijo used the occasion to place some specific requests before the ministers. She appealed for the prioritisation of the construction of accommodation in rural unity colleges “as an incentive to attract and retain teachers in these areas.”
“She also called for the provision of posting entitlements for teachers before their postings are effected, aiming to alleviate the challenges associated with relocating teachers and their families,” the statement said.
Mr Goong noted that the briefing was attended by almost all the principals of the 112 unity colleges, “reflecting a collective effort to ensure the safety and security of the nation’s educational institutions and their students.”
School safety
In recent times, Nigeria has experienced a number of attacks on schools that have been ongoing since the abduction of the Chibok girls in Borno, in the northern part of the country.
The latest report by Save the Children, a multinational non-governmental organisation which is titled; “Education Under Attack in Nigeria,” and published on 1 August, revealed that there have been 70 incidents of attacks on Nigerian schools with over 180 schoolchildren killed and nearly 90 injured.
The report also estimated that over 60 school staff have been kidnapped and 14 killed in about a decade.
Towards addressing the crisis, the Nigerian government and various stakeholders have initiated various programmes and initiatives.
In August, the Nigerian government launched its almost N145 billion Safe School Initiative, which was aimed at covering about 48 schools across 18 select states of the federation.
In 2022, the Education Writers Association of Nigeria (EWAN), a body of journalists covering education issues across the country, convened a national summit on school safety in partnership with the Lagos State Government.
Source: Premium Times
