By Milcah Tanimu
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has expressed deep concern over the crisis facing the educational system in the state due to insecurity. Speaking at a capacity training program organized by the Nigeria Police Force Schools Protection Squad in Kaduna, Governor Sani highlighted the significant decline in school enrollment as a direct consequence of security challenges.
He noted that insecurity has led to school consolidation in some local government areas, exacerbating the issue of out-of-school children in the state. Governor Sani cited the recent kidnapping of 135 students from LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School, Kuriga, Chikun LGA, as a tragic example of the impact of insecurity on access to education and safety.
Governor Sani emphasized that ensuring the safety and security of schools is paramount for any nation striving to achieve its human capital development goals and make substantial developmental progress. He underscored Kaduna State’s ongoing battle against banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and other criminal activities, which have disrupted socio-economic activities and threatened the state’s educational revitalization efforts.
Highlighting the drastic decline in primary school enrollment from 2,111,969 in the 2021/2022 academic session to 1,734,704 in the 2022/2023 session, Governor Sani attributed this decline largely to insecurity. He mentioned that insecurity has particularly affected LGAs such as Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Giwa, and Igabi, where school consolidation has become necessary.
To mitigate the impact of insecurity on education, Governor Sani announced the commencement of the merging of 359 schools with those in safe locations to ensure uninterrupted education for children in conflict-prone and terrorist-infested areas.
Commending the federal government for the N144.8 billion Safe Schools Financing Plan launched in 2022, Governor Sani highlighted the collaborative efforts between the federal government, states, local governments, and critical agencies to develop a Medium-Term National Plan on Financing Safe Schools (2023-2026). He stressed the importance of continued cooperation and strategic engagement to address the challenges facing education in the state amidst prevailing security threats.
