By Sunday Ogli, Makurdi
BENUE State government has disclosed plans to step down and fast track Safe School Initiative, SSI programme in all schools in the state.
This was disclosed by the state Commissioner of Education, Dr Sarwuan Tarnongo during a public interaction in Makurdi on Wednesday.
The interaction tagged Benue State Safe and Violence Free School (Save the Benue Child) was organised by a Non Governmental Foundation, NGO, Patriotic Visioners Foundation.
Represented by the Director, Educational Support Services in the Ministry, Mr Aniho Titus Terkimbi, the Commissioner said the state will liaise with the Nigerian Civil Defense and Security Corps, NCDSC to fashion out ways of implementing the programme.
He expressed worry over the incessant attacks on Benue by armed Fulani herdsmen and hoped that attention is not shifted on schools in the state.
“Benue State environment is vulnerable to attacks, we are witness to series of herdsmen’s attacks and others. We have also been hearing from other states how students in schools are attacked, Benue State may be the next target,” Dr Tarnongo said.
The Head of Project, Safe and Violence Free Initiative, Patriotic Visioners Foundation, Mr Obeno Jonah, urged stakeholders to come together and fight for a violence free school so that the future of students who are unarguably leaders of tomorrow is assured.
“The world is interested in the safety of our children, the world is interested in the safety of our teachers, the world is interested in the safety our school environment.
“If we must have brilliant students, if we must have outstanding students, if we must have the next Isaac Newton, if we must have the next Bill Gates, the environment we nurture them matter. If the environment is unsafe, they will not be able to achieve anything.
“And that is why we are doing what we are doing, that is why we are committing our resources, that is why we are committing our time, that is why we are calling on the stakeholders, they should all come together so that we ensure the future of our students because an investment in education is an investment into the future,” Jonah said.
The State Commandant of Nigerian Civil Defense and Security Corps, NCDSC, Philip Okoh, said the Corps would lead the implementation of the Safe School Initiative, SSI in the country and stressed that the objective of learning will be defeated if centres of learning becomes endangered.
He disclosed the constitution of a female strike force all over the country to prevent all forms of insecurity targeted at schools.
Mr Emmanuel Al-Hassan, HOD, Special Duties and External Relations Department, Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in the state, called for the revitalisation of clubs in schools as that would go a long way to inculcate disciple in students.
He emphasised on profiling drivers of school buses by FRSC and said protocol to and out of school should be of utmost interest.
Other speakers from National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA and State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, advocated for synergy among stakeholders to achieve a safe environment for students in the state.
