Safety of Schools, the sole responsibility of all: KDSG tasks CSO
Safety of Schools, the sole responsibility of all: KDSG tasks CSO
By: Femi Mustapha
The commissioner overseeing the Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, Mr. Samuel Aruwan, has urged Civil Society Organizations, especially those working on the Safe Schools initiative, to see the safety of schools as a sole responsibility that should not be left to the government alone.
He asserted this when he received a Network of CSOs working on the Safe School initiative who came to present a fact sheet on some security challenges affecting schools in parts of Kaduna State on Thursday, 14th December 2023.
He said the state government is doing its best to ensure the safety and security of its citizens in ensuring everywhere is safe.
The commissioner charged all stakeholders to support the government and security agencies with intelligent reports to mitigate insecurity.
He also called on them to defy fear and expose criminality, adding that some of the hard-to-reach communities are the ones facing challenges at the moment.
“Regrettably, it is a setback that has crippled economic activities and affected farming, including schools and healthcare facilities,” he said.
He emphasized that the government will not relent in its effort to ensure adequate security for the people.
“The Governor has recruited vigilante service to complement the efforts of the security in the state,” he said.
He commended the Safe Schools initiative, saying that this is how CSOs should work and not only be used to address press conferences against the government but be a co-creation for the betterment of the citizens.
Aruwan expressed satisfaction with the Safe Schools initiative Projects for its bold step and assured them that the concerns raised will receive the needed attention to ensure all schools are safe for learning.
Mr. Aruwan requested more partnership and collaboration to enhance the safety of the school.
In his reaction, Mallam Isah Suleiman, who led the Coalition of CSOs in the Safe School Initiative, said that schools at the basic level are uniquely placed to serve as a platform for inculcating in learners.
He disclosed that findings from various studies have shown that preventing and responding to violence in school has not received the desired attention in our education policies.
“As a result of this gap, schools have virtually become breeding grounds for different patterns of violence against learners. Such violence includes abductions, attacks in school, separation or abduction, and harassment outside or on their way to school.”
Mallam Isah added that the CSOs conduct research advocacy for school safety and create enabling environments for children, especially girls’ education.
“As part of the partnership activities, the Development Research and Projects Center (dRPC), with funding from the Ford Foundation and with support from the Kaduna State Ministry of Education, trained CSOs in 6 states and were tasked to collect data regarding school attacks in the various states, stressing that the fact sheet will help ensure that schools become safe for learning.”
Mallam Isah assured the state Government of the continuous support of his group to ensure the Safe School Initiative becomes a reality.
