Federal Government Restructures Safe Schools Initiative

Twelve years after the abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, the Federal Government responded to ongoing concerns regarding the Safe Schools Initiative. During hearings led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, and Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, acknowledged funding delays and fragmentation in the initiative.

They announced that the management of the Safe Schools Initiative has been officially transferred from the Ministry of Finance to the Federal Ministry of Education, which has established a dedicated Safe Schools Department. Dr. Alausa explained that the initiative's scope has expanded beyond just physical security to include infrastructure improvements and technology deployment.

He emphasized the need for a central command structure that allows for effective coordination among security agencies, state governments, and educational institutions to ensure comprehensive safety for all schools.