By Oluwaseun Sonde
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning has made moves to ensure safer teaching and learning environment for Nigerian children, aimed at launching National Plan for Financing Safe Schools in September, 2022.
Finance Minister, Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed who made this known at the stakeholders forum on Monday in Abuja, said the Ministry is committed to creating adequate Budgetary Allocation for Financing Safe Schools activities in Nigeria.
Recalled that after the abduction of about 300 school girls from Chibok, Borno State, the federal government in 2014 launched the Safe Schools Initiative as part of efforts to ensure that children in conflict areas or affected by insecurity continue with their education.
To further solidify the commitment to secure school, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in December 2019 signed the safe schools declaration ratification document.
In view of this, the Minister who was represented by Permanent Secretary Special Duties, Shehu Aliyu Shinkafi highlighted importance of safeguarding schools from attacks, while stated that the forum had the key players to come up with solutions to this challenge.
Giving her Goodwill message, the Financing Safe Schools Secretariat, Hajia Iliya Ville, said that no fewer than 11, 536 schools have been shut down since January, 2022 as a result of the heightening insecurity in the country.
Iliya Ville raised alarm over rise in population of out-of-school children which she said the figure stood at over eighteen million. "The future of our children lays in our hands, we need to work together collectively and secure the future of our children.
"When you look into a child’s eyes you see pure innocence and purity let’s save and protect the future today for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today, education is an important element in the struggle of life”, she said.
Also, the Chief of Defense Staff, represented by the Director of Education in Defense Headquarter, Air Admiral Chibuke Fiba Azike, said that the outcome of the initiative will protect and secure learning schools and other places of learning.
According to him, “Nigeria has been facing a major security challenges including attack on schools and other places of learning that led to closure of schools and other places of learning in affected communities.
“Today’s occasion is major part of efforts by the Federal Government Safe Schools Initiatives which focuses on enabling children affected by conflicts and insecurity to continue their Education".
CDS added that the initiative will also develop robust collaborative approach to ensure safety and security of schools, reassured Armed Forces' commitment to safeguarding Nigeria schools, Students and Teachers.
Pointing out that insecurity at schools was a global issue, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Interior, Dr Shuaib Belgore appealed to stakeholders to take the issue seriously for the future of the country.
Other representatives from Nigeria Governors Forum, State Education Commissioners, and Traditional Rulers pledged their commitment to the success of the National Plan for Financing Safe Schools.
The Forum was organised by the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning with the theme: Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria (Issues and Strategic options for the way forward).
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