The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, has said the administration of President Bola Tinubu would ensure that the safe school policy of the Federal Government is implemented to guarantee safety in schools nationwide.
Sununu gave the assurance in Abuja on Friday at a media briefing to mark the 2023 International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
The minister described the attacks on schools as regrettable, adding that the Ministry of Education, in partnership with relevant stakeholders, has already put in place various strategies to deal with these attacks.
He recalled that Nigeria had ratified the Safe School Declaration in December 2019 and developed a safe school policy in furtherance of upholding the right to education in
“As part of the National School Safety Response Coordination team, led by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), the ministry continues to provide relevant information on threat assessments to our schools at all levels; and
“All our efforts would be geared towards implementing the Safe Schools policy for all and that is why it is theme for this year’s commemoration. This is to create awareness on the existence of the National Policy for Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, especially for States, Local Governments, Educational Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, the Military, and the general public to collaborate and operationalize the guidelines that have already been developed,” he said.
He called for collaboration by all stakeholders to successfully implement the safe school initiative of the federal government, adding that safety is a collective responsibility.
The minister also promised to set up a team to dialogue with parent teachers Associations, PTAs, and other stakeholders following the hike in fees and the protests that have been raging.
