Recent findings shed light on the progress of the federal government’s Safe School Initiative, a program aimed at safeguarding schools from attacks by bandits, terrorists, and kidnappers. Investigations reveal that the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), primarily responsible for the initiative, has extended its protective umbrella over 21,000 schools, out of the 80,000 identified as vulnerable.
While the number of schools yet to receive coverage remains substantial, the NSCDC has reiterated its unwavering commitment to eradicating the frequent attacks on educational institutions and the kidnapping of students across Nigeria.
The Safe School Initiative, established in collaboration with the United Nations and global education advocates, strives to create a secure environment where students can pursue their education without fear.
Speaking with LEADERSHIP, CSC Babawale Afolabi, the Director of Media and Public Relations for the NSCDC, expressed the corps’ determination to enhance safety within schools to foster a conducive teaching and learning environment. Afolabi disclosed that the agency has been organizing workshops nationwide to gather input and suggestions from host communities and stakeholders, which will be instrumental in effectively implementing the initiative.
Among the co-stakeholders in the Safe School Initiative program are the Ministries of Finance and Education, the Nigeria Police, the Department of State Services (DSS), National Orientation Agency (NOA), and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
The NSCDC’s expanded role in 2021 includes the deployment of personnel to protect schools and educational facilities in response to the persistent attacks by bandits and insurgents.
In a November 2021 report titled “Children in West and Central Africa Among Those Who Suffer Highest Rates of Grave Violations in Armed Conflict,” the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reported 25 school attacks and the abduction of 1,440 students in Nigeria during the same year.
Afolabi detailed the NSCDC’s efforts, including decentralizing Safe School Initiative training nationwide, conducting vulnerability surveys, deploying the Corps Female Squad to volatile states, and launching a National School Security and Emergency Response Centre.
