BY DAYO ADESULU

All over the world, from America to Europe to Asia, Governments and Education stakeholders are racing to come up with ideas to enhance security in educational institutions against the backdrop that principal officers and facilities of educational institutions have become targets of choice for terrorists, kidnappers and criminals across the globe.

Leaders and principal officers of educational ministries, agencies and institutions are meeting for the same reason in Accra Ghana from 14th to 19th April, 2013 at the International Executive Management Retreat on Security Awareness and Emergency Preparedness for educational institutions in Africa.

Ghana’s Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Ahmed Alhassan will deliver the keynote address. Other world renowned security experts billed to speak at the retreat include Professor I. S. Williams, faculty member, National Institute for Strategic Studies (NIPPS); Professor E.O. Aliemeka, faculty member, (NIPPS); Dr. U.K Brown of Liberia; P.K Krampar of Ghana; Professor A. Ekoko, former vice-chancellor, Delta State University and former faculty member, Nigeria Defence College etc.

According to the coordinator, Major-General Mathias Efeovbokhan (Rtd), MJ One Security Consultants; POTOMAC Consulting International and Exam Ethics Marshals International in a release said, the retreat will be attended by heads of education ministries and agencies; governing councils of tertiary institutions; education committees of legislative houses; state education management boards; state Universal Basic Education Boards; vice-chancellors; provosts; rectors; bursars; chief security officers and other principal officers of educational institutions from across Africa. Educational institutions in Nigeria including IBB University, Minna and Imo State University, Owerri have already registered to attend the retreat.

The objective of the retreat is to empower principal officers of educational institutions in Africa with comprehensive up-to-date body of knowledge and strategies for protection of human, physical, material and financial resources.

As in other parts of the world, it became imperative for leaders and administrators of educational institutions in Africa to review their security and emergency preparedness.