The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa has announced sweeping reforms to improve the safety of schools across Nigeria, following years of incessant school abductions.
Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, Ikharo Attah who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday said he stated this during an interactive session convened by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative.
Alausa informed that the Federal Ministry of Education had established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes nationwide.
He said the new department replaces the former unit with a stronger institutional structure that reflects the Ministry’s constitutional responsibility for education policy, implementation and monitoring.
He also disclosed that the Ministry now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative through a unified national framework designed to strengthen implementation, improve accountability and enhance monitoring of interventions across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas.
Additionally, he informed that the Ministry was working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other relevant agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive national framework for safer schools.
“School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner,” Dr. Alausa said. “The Safe Schools Initiative has many interconnected components that require a coordinated national approach. While our security agencies will continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme.”
The Minister explained that the renewed Safe Schools Initiative extends beyond physical security. It integrates perimeter fencing, solar-powered lighting, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, surveillance technology, trained security personnel, technology-driven early warning systems, effective monitoring mechanisms and stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies to create safer and more conducive learning environments.
He noted that the establishment of the dedicated department reflects the unwavering commitment of the administration of President Bola Tinubu, to ensuring that every Nigerian child, from foundational to tertiary education, has access to a safe, secure and conducive learning environment.
Dr. Alausa thanked the Senate Ad-hoc Committee for its constructive engagement and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and deliver sustainable solutions that safeguard schools and enhance learning outcomes across the country.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to provide the leadership, policy direction and strategic partnerships needed to build a safer and more resilient education system where every child can learn without fear.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Orji Kalu, described Dr. Alausa as a public servant who had consistently demonstrated respect for constitutional institutions by honouring invitations from the National Assembly and engaging constructively with lawmakers in the discharge of their oversight responsibilities.
The Senator also commended the Minister’s ongoing reforms in the education sector, describing them as bold initiatives that were strengthening Nigeria’s education system and contributing to national development. He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at improving the safety of schools, teachers and learners across the country.
