Federal Government Launches National Safe Schools Department to Strengthen School Security

Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa has established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes across the country.

Alausa disclosed this in Abuja, during an interactive session convened by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to review the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative, including the utilisation of appropriated funds, international grants and other external support for the programme.

The new department, Alausa said, replaces the former unit with a stronger institutional structure that reflects the ministry’s constitutional responsibility for policy, implementation and monitoring of education.

The minister said the ministry now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative within a one national framework to improve implementation, improve accountability and monitor interventions in all the 774 local government areas in Nigeria.

He said the ministry was working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services, Armed Forces of Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive national framework for safer schools.

“School safety is not something you do piecemeal. The Safe Schools Initiative involves a number of interrelated components that require a co-ordinated national approach.

“ Our security agencies will continue to discharge their constitutional duties, while the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme,” he said.

The Minister said the renewed Safe Schools Initiative goes beyond the physical security, adding perimeter fencing, solar-powered lighting, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, surveillance technology, trained security personnel, technology-driven early warning systems, effective monitoring mechanisms and stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies to create safer and more conducive learning environments.

The establishment of the dedicated department is a reflection of the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure that every Nigerian child, from foundational to tertiary education has access to a safe, secure and conducive learning environment, he noted.

Dr Alausa thanked the Senate Ad-hoc Committee for their engagement and assured the ministry’s commitment to working with the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and deliver sustainable solutions that protect schools and improve learning outcomes.

He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to provide the needed leadership, policy direction and strategic alliances to build a safer and more resilient education system where every child can learn without fear.

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The Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative has commended the cooperation of the Federal Ministry of Education with the National Assembly and respect for parliamentary oversight by the Ministry, saying it will continue to work with the Ministry for the safety of learners across Nigeria.

The committee’s chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, described the minister as a public servant who had consistently demonstrated respect for constitutional institutions by honouring invitations from the National Assembly and constructively engaging with lawmakers in the discharge of oversight responsibilities.

The senator also commended the minister’s reforms in the education sector, saying they are initiatives that are strengthening Nigeria’s education system and contributing to national development.

He reemphasized the committee’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at improving the safety of schools, teachers and learners.

Dr Alausa told members of the committee that the funds being queried, which include international grants, foreign donations and appropriated funds, were disbursed several years before he was appointed minister.

The Safe Schools Financing Unit that was to administer the funds was then domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance, he said.

The minister said that although the disbursements were before his time, the Federal Government was still committed to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.

“Government is a continuum. “We owe Nigerians a duty to account for the management of public resources and we will continue to cooperate fully with the distinguished Senate in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities,” he added.