FG reaffirms commitment to safe schools

The Federal Government has restated its commitment to strengthening the Safe Schools Programme in order to ensure that Nigerian children learn in a secure environment.

Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Education, Abel Enitan, gave the assurance on Tuesday during the commemoration of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack (IDEA), themed “Challenging Narratives, Reshaping Actions.”

Represented by the Director of Human Resource Management, Yusuf Saheed, Enitan dismissed the notion that insecurity in schools was unavoidable, stressing that every child has the right to learn in peace.

“We are changing the way we implement the Safe Schools Programme, moving beyond rhetoric to real, coordinated action,” he said.

He added that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places education at the heart of national development. Through the Safe Schools Declaration, the Ministry is working with state governments, security agencies, and partners to train teachers, improve reporting systems, and build resilience in schools.

While acknowledging ongoing insecurity in some areas, Enitan praised learners who continue their education despite challenges, describing them as an inspiration for stronger government action.

“Protecting education is not the work of government alone. It requires the active involvement of communities, parents, teachers, and partners. Together, we must dismantle old narratives of fear and replace them with new realities of safety, resilience, and hope,” he said.

Also speaking, Hussaini Abdullahi, Director of School Safety, said the government was shifting from reactive to proactive strategies to make schools safer. He urged stakeholders to work together to prevent disruptions to children’s education.

UNICEF Chief of Education, Vanessa Lee, pledged continued support for Nigeria’s efforts to secure schools. She highlighted the importance of teachers as the first line of support for learners, and called for continuous training, stronger infrastructure, and active School-Based Management Committees.

“All of you play a very important role in advocating for finance and for policies that will keep children safe in schools, so that they can learn,” she said.

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Dr Gboyega Ilusanya, National Team Lead for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), also reaffirmed support for Nigeria’s efforts to strengthen school safety. Represented by Amy Oyekunle, he said the goal was to ensure learning continues even in emergencies.

“On this International Day to Protect Education from Attack, we stand in solidarity with the children, teachers, parents, and communities across Nigeria who continue to bear the heavy burden of insecurity in our schools. Education is not a privilege but a right, the key to freedom, opportunity, and national progress,” he said.

Ilusanya noted that FCDO-PLANE has supported Kaduna, Kano, and Jigawa States since 2021, including interventions under the National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools.

“School safety is a critical contributor to positive student, teacher, and school-level outcomes. These efforts remind us that progress is possible when we commit to collective action,” he added.

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