Makinde Declares Children’s Safety ‘Non-Negotiable,’ Vows to Protect Oyo Schools
In an effort to enhance school safety, the Oyo State Government has reiterated its pledge to ensure that the safety of children and teachers is a priority in the face of the increasing security threats in Nigeria.
The commitment was made at the seminar on “Building Resilient Schools: Strengthening Operational Capacity for Safety, Security and Child Protection in Oyo State Educational Institutions” held in Ibadan by Governor Seyi Makinde. The event was sponsored by the Oyo State Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
The governor said his administration was putting in place measures to ensure that schools were not easy targets for criminal groups, represented by the Oyo State Security Trust Fund (OSSTF) Head of Operations, Akin Oyedele.
Makinde said that “no school will be a soft target for criminal elements” and that “the protection of children and teachers is non-negotiable.
The governor’s comments come weeks after pupils and teachers were rescued after a school was attacked in Oriire Local Government Area, which reignited worries over the safety of school premises in the state.
Makinde said the recent security threats in the country highlight the need for increased cooperation between government, schools, security agencies and communities to keep children safe and learning on-going.
During the seminar, the NSCDC highlighted the following common security weaknesses in schools: lack of perimeter fencing, lack of control over access to the school premises, lack of security awareness, lack of emergency preparedness, lack of surveillance systems and lack of communication with security agencies.
Child protection advocates state that these risks must be addressed to ensure children’s right to learn in safe and secure environments. They also highlight the importance of ongoing investment, preparedness and community involvement in order to ensure that future attacks on educational institutions can be prevented.
