FG Establishes National Safe Schools Department

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 constitutional responsibility of the ministry for policy, implementation and monitoring of education.

The ministry, the minister stated, now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative under a unified national framework to boost implementation, improve accountability and monitor interventions in all of Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

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 cannot be done in a fragmented way. The Safe Schools Initiative has a number of interrelated components that require a co-ordinated national approach.

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While our security agencies will continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme,” Alausa said.

The minister explained that the renewed Safe Schools Initiative goes beyond physical security, incorporating 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.

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.

He said, “The minister is a public servant who has always shown respect for constitutional institutions by honouring invitations from the National Assembly and engaging constructively with lawmakers in the discharge of oversight functions.

The senator also praised 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 reiterated the committee’s commitment to supporting efforts at improving the safety of schools, teachers and learners.

Explaining to members of the committee, Dr Alausa said the funds under review, including international grants, foreign donations and appropriated funds, were disbursed several years before he was appointed minister.

He said the Safe Schools Financing Unit responsible for administering the funds was then domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

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

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