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THE Federal Ministry of Education has called on stakeholders to operationalise school safety guidelines to protect schools from attack.
The Minister of State for Education, Mr Goodluck Opiah, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday at a news conference to commemorate the 2022 International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
Opiah said that the commemoration of the was initiated by Qatar and co-sponsored by 62 other countries at the 76th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2020 and was unanimously espoused.
According to him, the 2022 celebration is the third edition with the theme, “Implementing the School Safety Policy as a Tool to Protect Education from Attack: Our Collective Responsibility”.
Opiah said that there was need for stakeholders to protect education from violence situations and armed conflict.
He said that upholding the right to education and its continuity in such emergency situations as enshrined in the Safe School Declaration, which Nigeria ratified on March 20, 2019, was an action to be taken by all.
“The theme was devised by the ministry to create awareness on the existence of the School Safety Policy.
“And 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 School Safety Policy copiously highlights the strategies for emergency preparedness in education institutions, measures for harm reduction, stakeholders to contact for help in case of imminent attack, deterrence of the military from using education.
“Consequently, the ministry will celebrate the event with pre-activities and a grand finale.
“The pre-activities were initiated by call letters to education institutions to commence the preparation of learners that will perform at the occasion,” he said.
Opiah also reacted to an alleged attack on Federal Government College Kwali, which led to 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 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 demands 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.
“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 said. (NAN)
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Tags: Goodluck Opiah
