Insecurity: Niger to Reopen Some Public Schools

Laleye Dipo in Minna

Not less than 11 out of the 42 public schools shut down in Niger State as a result of insecurity are to be reopened from the next academic year.

The 42 schools were shut down in 2021 following frequent kidnappings of students, especially girls. The highest point was the kidnap of 99 girls from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area where they spent close to 88 days in captivity.

The government, according to a reliable source close to the Ministry of Education, is still closely monitoring the security situation as it affects the communities where the remaining 31 schools are located.

Some of the schools to be reopened are located in Lavun, Gurara, and Wushishi LGA of the state.

A statement from the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, which was signed by Jibrin Usman Kodo, the information officer on behalf of the Commissioner, Hajia Hadiza Asabe, and made available to journalists in Minna yesterday said the decision to reopen the schools followed the improvement in the security situations in the affected areas.

The statement said the decision to reopen the schools had been conveyed to major stakeholders in the education sector, including officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the Parents Teachers Association (PTA), heads of schools, as well as officials of the ANCOPSS, saying as part of the preparation for the reopening of the schools, an online data capturing of all teachers will commence soon.

It further disclosed that ‘indexing of students’ would now be initiated right from the Early Child Education (ECCDE) class to the Senior Secondary class (SSS), and that Early Child Care Department Education has been made compulsory as no child will be admitted into primary class without undergoing ECCDE.

In addition, the statement explained that the ministry has concluded plans to establish Quality Assurance Offices in all the 25 LGA in the state and also provide them with adequate teaching and learning materials, warning that “indiscipline either from the students or teachers will not be tolerated.

“There will be sanctions for principals who indulge in the collection of unnecessary fees from students,” the statement said, adding that the ministry is looking at ways of improving the feeding of boarding school students just as plans are underway to organise teachers’ summit.