The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to adopt all measures for enhanced protection of schools and educational institutions across the country, including the implementation of the Safe School Declaration, which Nigeria ratified in 2019.
Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, who gave the commitment amid concerns by some stakeholders over insecurity as most schools are preparing for resumption on Monday next week.
He spoke at a news conference in Abuja, as part of programmes lined up to mark the 2022 edition of the International Day to protect education from attack. Adamu was represented by the Minister of State for Education, Rt. Hon Goodluck Opiah.
The Minister disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education is working with relevant security agencies to see that their personnel are deployed to protect the schools across the country, particularly in the volatile states of the federation.
He noted that the observance was initiated by Qatar and co-sponsored by sixty-two (62) other countries at the 76th United Nations General Assembly in 2020 and was unanimously espoused, saying for this third edition, the Ministry strategically chose the theme” Implementing the School Safety Policy as a Tool To Protect Education From Attack: Our Collective Responsibility.”
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Adamu said: “The theme foregrounds the education sector’s hands-on actions to protect education from violent situations and armed conflict thereby upholding the right to education and its continuity in such emergency situations as enshrined in the Safe School Declaration which Nigeria ratified on March 20, 2019.
“The theme was devised by the Ministry to create awareness on the existence of the School Safety Policy and the need for state governments, Education Institutions and stakeholders, civil society organizations, the Military, and the general public to operationalise the guidance therein.
“The School Safety Policy copiously highlights the strategies for emergency preparedness in education institutions, measures for harm reduction, stakeholders to contact for help in case of imminent attack, deterrence of the Military from using education institutions and procedures to ensure that education continues if the attack is inevitable.
“Consequently, the Ministry will celebrate the event with pre-activities and a grand finale. The pre-activities were initiated by call letters to education institutions to commence the preparation of learners that will perform at the occasion.
“The performance will involve re-enactment of conflict situations in education institutions through playlets or dance drama, poetic renditions and debate competition based on the theme.
“Experts will also give informational talks on the “Significance of the Minimum Standard Document which codified the operationalization of the School Safety Policy as a collective responsibility by all education stakeholders, and the entire school community including learners, Parents, Teachers, Education administrators, Parents Teachers Association, (PTAs), School Based Management Committees (SBMCs), and other relevant Government Agencies,” he said.
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FG reaffirms commitment to protection of schools
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