BY AHMED AKANBI
The Federal Government has announced stronger measures to secure schools nationwide, with plans to involve security agencies across all 774 local government councils.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, made this known after an interface with the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Safe Schools Initiative at the National Assembly, Abuja.
He said the Ministry of Education is collaborating with the Office of the National Security Adviser( NSA), Department of State Services (DSS), Armed Forces, Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and other agencies to develop a comprehensive national framework for school safety.
“We are collaborating closely with security agencies to develop a comprehensive Safe Schools framework. School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner,” Alausa stated.
The minister explained that the initiative covers more than just physical protection.
“Safe Schools is much broader than physical security. It includes perimeter fencing, solar-powered lighting, water and sanitation facilities, recruitment of school security personnel, deployment of technology and effective monitoring systems,” he said.
Alausa stressed that a central command structure is critical for effective implementation of the programme.
“There are many components of the Safe Schools Initiative, and they require a central command-and-control structure,” he said.
He assured that while security agencies will continue their constitutional duties, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction and coordinate with states to ensure every school benefits.
“Previously, there was only a small unit handling this. We have now established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department within the Federal Ministry of Education,” the minister disclosed.
Alausa added that since he assumed office, the only disbursements made were targeted interventions to the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, NSCDC, through the Ministry of Finance.
He said the upgrade to a full department informed the ministry’s request for direct management of funds for the scheme.
But Minister of Finance, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, downplayed the tussle over fund control, saying “For us it’s not so much of who is controlling the budget. By law, the Ministry of Finance manages service-wide votes because the minister acts as the accountant for the country.”
He emphasized that timely funding was more important than administrative control. “What is important is how do we ensure the funding is adequate and the monies are released on time so that some of these crimes can be prevented,” he stated.
The Senate committee, chaired by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, thereafter adjourned into a closed session to deliberate on sensitive security aspects of the initiative.
