Alausa – bold Education reforms drive new era of safe schools nationwide

Favour Ishember, Abuja

The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, is rolling out far-reaching reforms in Nigeria’s education sector that lawmakers say are already strengthening the system and advancing national progress.

That endorsement came from the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, during an interactive session called to assess how the Safe Schools programme is being run. The review covered the use of budgeted allocations, international grants and other donor support tied to the initiative.

Senator Kalu praised Dr. Alausa as a public official who consistently shows deference to constitutional bodies by responding to National Assembly invitations and working productively with legislators in carrying out oversight duties. The Committee also restated its resolve to back measures that protect pupils, teachers and school facilities across the country.

Responding to questions, Dr. Alausa clarified that the funds being examined, including foreign grants, overseas donations and appropriated budgets, were released several years before he assumed office. At that time, he said, the Safe Schools Financing Unit that managed the money was housed in the Federal Ministry of Finance.

“Government is a continuum. We have a responsibility to account to Nigerians for how public resources have been managed, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the distinguished Senate in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities,” the Minister stated.

He stressed that even though the spending occurred before his tenure, the Federal Government remains fully devoted to openness and responsible stewardship of public funds.

To tighten management going forward, Dr. Alausa disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education has created a stand-alone Safe Schools Department. The new department, he explained, replaces the previous unit with a more robust structure that aligns with the Ministry’s constitutional mandate for education policy, rollout and supervision.

Under a single national blueprint, the Ministry will now drive the Safe Schools Initiative to boost execution, improve answerability and track results in all 774 Local Government Areas.

The Minister said the Ministry is partnering with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant bodies to craft a full national plan for safer learning spaces.

“School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner,” Dr. Alausa said. “The Safe Schools Initiative has many interconnected components that require a coordinated national approach. While our security agencies will continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme.”

According to him, the revamped initiative goes well beyond guards and gates. It now bundles perimeter fencing, solar lighting, water and sanitation facilities, surveillance systems, trained security staff, technology-based early warning tools, strong monitoring processes and closer teamwork among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies to deliver learning environments that are both safe and supportive.

Dr. Alausa noted that setting up the dedicated department reflects the firm commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to guarantee that every Nigerian child, from early childhood to tertiary level, learns in a secure and enabling setting.

He thanked the Senate Ad-hoc Committee for its constructive dialogue and pledged that the Ministry will keep working hand-in-hand with the National Assembly, security institutions, state governments and other partners to deepen accountability, enhance coordination and provide lasting solutions that protect schools and improve learning outcomes.

In a press statement issued by Ikharo Attah Special Adviser to the Minister on Media and Communications, the Minister assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will sustain its leadership, policy guidance and strategic alliances to build a safer, more resilient education system where no child has to learn in fear.

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