In Kaduna state, Governor Uba Sani has raised alarm over the crisis facing the educational sector due to insecurity.
During a capacity training program organized by the Nigeria Police Force Schools Protection Squad in Kaduna, Sani highlighted the declining school enrollment in the state due to security challenges.
He pointed out that insecurity in some local government areas has led to school consolidation, exacerbating the issue of out-of-school children.
Reflecting on the recent abduction of 135 students from the LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School in Kuriga, Chikun LGA, he emphasized the detrimental impact of insecurity on education access and safety.
Stressing the importance of safeguarding schools, Sani emphasized that a nation cannot achieve its human capital development objectives without ensuring school safety and security.
He noted that Kaduna has been actively combating banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and other criminal activities, which have disrupted socioeconomic activities and posed a threat to the state’s educational progress.
Highlighting the educational crisis, he disclosed a significant drop in primary school enrollment, with over 200,000 fewer pupils enrolled in the current academic session compared to the previous year.
The decrease, attributed largely to insecurity, has been particularly noticeable in LGAs such as Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Giwa, and Igabi.
To prevent interruptions in the education of children in conflict-prone areas, the merging of 359 schools with those in safer locations has been initiated.
Appreciating the federal government’s N144.8 billion Safe Schools Financing Plan, launched in 2022, Sani acknowledged the collaborative efforts involved in its development.
Furthermore, the National Coordinator of the Safe Schools Programme, Halima Iliya, highlighted the development of a Medium Term National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023-2026) in consultation with various stakeholders.