By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
The Federal Government says all its efforts will be geared towards implementing safe school policy for all especially as it had ratified the Safe School Declaration in December 2019 and developed a safe school policy in furtherance to upholding the right to education in emergency situations.
The Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, gave this assurance at a news conference in Abuja to herald the commemoration of the International Day To Protect Education from Attack.
The International Day to Protect Education from Attack, an international observance by the United Nations General Assembly established in 2020 is observed annually on Sept. 9, Nigeria will, however, observe this year’s celebration on Friday, Sept.8, 2023.
Addressing the press, Dr. Sununu said safety in schools is a collective responsibility hence government will encourage formal negotiations so that where it cannot provide, it will encourage PTA and relevant institutions to assist so they only need to agree to a term that is acceptable to all.
He said they will encourage a lot of partnerships as part of areas that can bring peace and appreciated the role of PTA in sustaining services in many schools at both local and federal levels.
According to him, they will do all they can to block leakages and see how more funds can be made available to schools to ensure that quality education is affordable and acceptable to every Nigerian without decreasing the quality of education.
The Minister of State said, government will set up a formal negotiation team between the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) and relevant stakeholders to look into the recent hike in school fees across the country, saying that hike in school fees could be the major factor leading to attacks in schools, hence the need to look into the area to avert further attacks.
The activities preceeding the International Day to Protect Education from Attack celebration include a playlet, dance, drama, poetic rendition, and a quiz competition, while a presentation by learners is expected to lay emphasis on the need for collaboration and focus on school safety policy for implementation guidance by all stakeholders.
