By Joseph Erunke

AGAINST the backdrop of attacks on schools by bandits and other criminal elements in the country, the federal government has tasked stakeholders to adhere strictly to the existing school safety guidelines.

Minister of State for Education, Goodluck Opiah, speaking at a media conference held to mark the 2022 International Day to Protect Education from Attack, insisted that stakeholders must operationalise the school safety guidelines to protect schools from attacks.

According to him, stakeholders must protect education from violence situations and armed conflict.

Upholding the right to education and its continuity in such emergency situations as enshrined in the Safe School Declaration which Nigeria ratified on 20th March, 2019,he said, was what everyone must embrace.

The 2022 celebration which has a theme:“Implementing the School Safety Policy as a Tool To Protect Education From Attack: Our Collective Responsibility”,is the third edition of the event.

Explaining that,“The theme was devised by the ministry to create awareness on the existence of the School Safety Policy,”he said it was also “the need for state governments, education institutions and stakeholders, civil society organisations, the military, and the general public to operationalise the guidance therein. “

The minister further stated that the School Safety Policy highlights the strategies for emergency preparedness in education institutions, measures for harm reduction, stakeholders to contact for help in case of imminent attack.

“Consequently, the ministry will celebrate the event with pre-activities and a grand finale. The pre-activities was initiated by call letters to education institutions to commence the preparation of learners that will perform at the occasion,” he said.

While reacting to an alleged attack on Federal Government College, Kwali that led to the closure of all unity colleges in Abuja, the minister said that the directive for the recent closure of all unity schools was imminent to protect schools and children from attack.

He, therefore, said that the ministry was working closely with security agencies to further ensure the safety of schools and children from attack.

“The closure of unity colleges was not a permanent measure but a reaction taken to protect the lives and safety of children.

” It was a right action in the right direction and the ministry demand commendation for that action.

” This is because it was during examination period. The schools were shut but the students were taken to other schools to complete their examinations,”he explained.

“Schools are about to reopen and FGC Kwali will also join them. We are working with security agencies because the security of our children is very important to us,” he added.

Recall that the International Day To Protect Education From Attack was initiated by Qatar and co-sponsored by 62 other countries at the 76th United Nations General Assembly, UNGA in 2020.