Bauchi and Gombe State Governments have commenced implementation of the National Safe School Plan initiated by the Federal Government.
This is coming against the backdrop of spate of attacks on schools in parts of the country.
The federal government had introduced the National Safe School Plan to provide safe learning and teaching environment in the country.
The plan seeks to protect schools and learning places to enable students and teachers to operate in a safer and more secured environment.
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To achieve its objectives, the federal government in December 2022 unveiled the N145.8 billion National Plan on Financing Safe Schools to be implemented between 2023-2026.
It also earmarked N15 billion to facilitate implementation of the programme this year in 48 schools each selected from18 states across the country.
Under the plan, the states may budget for the programme to augment the federal government’s gesture.
A check by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi and Gombe showed that the states are at various implementation stages of the programme.
In Bauchi, the state government had identified 48 schools for participation in the safe school programme.
Mr Ali Gar, the Director, Planning, Research and Statistics, Bauchi State Ministry of Education, reitrated government commitment to key into the programme.
According to Gar, adequate provisions have been made in the proposed 2024 budget to fasttrack implementation of the programme in the state.
He said the ministry had designated a Safe School Desk Officer and set up technical committee to enhance awareness creation and community engagement in the programme.
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“We have gone to 15 local government areas where 48 schools had been selected to benefit from the initiative, sensitising people with regards to safe school.
“Assessment team came from Abuja where they also went to see these 48 schools and went back.
“What we are waiting for now is whether they will release the fund for its commencement in earnest or if it is the Federal Ministry of Finance that will come and execute the work,” he said.
Also commenting, DSC Ibrahim Gabdo, the Public Relations Officer, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Bauchi State Command, said the Corps was working in collaboration with relevant stakeholders to facilitate successful implementation of the programme.
He said that such partnership was imperative towards ending the menace to provide secured school environment.
Gabdo reitrated commitment of the Corps to provide adequate security in schools towards ensuring safe teaching and learning environment in the state.
“We are to collaborate with co-stakeholders in the Safe School Initiative such as the Ministries of Finance and Education, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Service (DSS), National Orientation Agency (NOA), among others.
“The Corps in concert with the state government will establish a center for the Safe School programme for proper coordination.
“We are also embarking on advocacy and sensitisation of some of the stakeholders and ministries on the safe school initiative in the state,” he said.
He said the Corps had trained its personnel to exposed them to the modus operandi of the safe school initiative.
This, he said, would enabled them to thoroughly examine the draft Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the purpose of validation and full implementation.
He, therefore, urged residents of the state to support the programme to ensure safety in the schools.
In the same vein; the NSCDC has urged the Gombe government to construct perimeter fence in some unfenced schools across the state.
The Commandant of the Corps, Malam Mohammed Muazu, said the call was impreative towards ensuring the safety of the students.
He said that, “some public schools are porous without perimeter fence, and there is need for the government as a matter of urgency to do what is necessary to safeguard the schools.
“Fence proved to act as deterrent to intruders and trespassers as well as improve the security of the structure it surrounds”.
According to him, the Corps is part of the safe school declaration committee, adding that, “we are willing to cooperate with the government, what we require is mobility to ensure proper supervision.
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“Our intention is to post armed security in each of the schools, but we cannot do that without mobility,” he said.
Also, Mr Mohammed Jibrin, UNICEF Focal Officer in Gombe State, said the Safe School programme focused on five out of the 11 LGAs in the state.
He said the programme was targeting 70 schools comprising 40 basic and 30 post basic schools in Gombe, Nafada, Kwami, Kaltungo and Dukku LGAs.
He said the state government had trained 350 head teachers, representatives of the security outfits, traditional rulers and members of the School Based Management Committees.
The government, he said, also inaugurated a state level committee headed by the Chairman, Gombe State House of Assembly Committee on Education, Mr Shu’aibu Adamu.
Jibrin disclosed further that the Gombe government had so far distributed safe school kits to security agencies in the state. (NAN)