The Adamawa State Government says it has engaged the services of vigilance committees to protect and secure schools against attacks in the state.
Mr Wilbina Jackson, Commissioner for Education, stated this at news conference in commemoration of the 2021 International Day to Protect Education from Attack, on Thursday in Yola.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Sept. 9, 2020 marked the first observation of the International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
The day established by the unanimous adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 74/275.
The Resolution designates UNESCO and UNICEF, to serve as co-facilitators for the yearly observance of this Day.
It aimed at raising awareness on the need to preserve education and protect it from attack.
It also called on stakeholders to keep the issue at the top of the international agenda and duly act to alleviate the plight of students affected by armed conflicts.
Jackson said the vigilance group engaged would be paid monthly stipend, adding that Gov. Ahmadu Fintiri administration accorded premium to education, as the second priority next to security.
She said the state government had adopted a lot of measures in this regard.
“We are working very hard to ensure that what happened in other states did not happen in Adamawa,” she said.
According to her, the recent deboarding of some schools across the state is to ensure safety and security of the students.
She reiterated the commitment of the state government on training and retraining of teachers, to encourage academic excellence to enable the students qualify to the tertiary levels of education.
In his remarks, Mr Maidugu Steven, Focal Person, Education in Emergencies Working Group, said that the day was set aside by the UNESCO, to create awareness on issues of school security.
Steven commended the effort of the state government on measures employed to protect schools from attack across the state.
“The deboarding of JSS students to remain with their parents and go to school, and the transfer of makeup children that are far from their hometown to schools close to them is also commendable,” he said.
He stressed the need for construction of perimeter fencing in some schools to create conducive and enabling environment for teaching and learning.
Also speaking, Wusayamba Markus, a SS II student of the Federal Government Girls College, Yola, called for more proactive easures to protect education against attack.
“Like providing us with steady electricity within and outside the schools and portable water so that students will not go outside the school to get water.
“Community sensitisation on the importance of protecting education in our communities should also be pursue vigorously,” she said (NAN)
