EBONYI EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS JOIN NOA’S CRUSADE FOR SECURITY IN - TopicsExpress

EBONYI EDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS JOIN NOA’S CRUSADE FOR SECURITY IN SCHOOLS Advocate inclusion of awareness/tips in school curriculum As Ebonyi Commissioner for Education reiterates State Government’s unwavering drive to transform the sector Education stakeholders in Ebonyi State last week reached a consensus to join the National Orientation Agency in her security in schools campaign aimed at achieving a conducive learning environment for Ebonyi children. The consensus was reached at Nnodo Secondary School where all education Stakeholders- teachers, principals, proprietors/proprietresses, students, parents and government officials- gathered for intensive enlightenment programme- Security awareness for public and private schools- organised by the National Orientation Agency, Ebonyi State directorate. Addressing the people, the Director-General of the Agency, Mr Mike Omeri, represented by the Ebonyi State Director, Dr Emma Abah explained that the security in schools campaign was to combat and defeat the recent security challenge bedevilling the country and to also forestall a repeat of such incidence as the kidnap of some school children in Chibok by Hoodlums. Mr Omeri commended the stakeholders for sparing their time to deliberate on ways of ensuring increased security awareness in and around schools and hinted that his agency is simultaneously taking the campaign to all the schools in the federation such that Nigerian teachers, parents and students are awakened to be conscious of the rising security challenge facing the country and the need for them to assist in stemming the ugly tide. He therefore called on all to believe in the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he said, was committed to deploying all assets and resources available within his disposal towards rescuing the kidnapped Chibok girls and pleaded with all the security agencies and everybody concerned in the upbringing of children to brace up to this challenge, saying “Raising a well-educated and enlightened citizenry where character is shaped by the universal values of honesty, sense of safety and security, hard-work, patriotism, obedience and tolerance should be the concern of all in any society”. The Commissioner for Education Ebonyi state, Barrister Chibueze Agbo, while declaring the programme open, condemned the extension of kidnap saga into Nigerian schools, maintaining that it was the worse crime that has no justification. Barrister Agbo, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Ebonyi State Sir Clement Elom expressed optimism that the government and indeed the entire Nigerians are gradually winning the battle against insurgency and encouraged the stakeholders thus, “It is my candid belief that with a little more effort and commitment by all of us, the problem will go into our national archives”. He extolled NOA for her concerted efforts at informing Nigerians and assured all gathered that the Ebonyi State government, under the leadership of Chief Martin Elechi, CON will continue to take stringent measures to safeguard the lives of Ebonyi children and teachers, part of which was the perimeter fencing of 31 public boarding schools in the state. Speaking, the Chairman of the occasion, Hon. Godwin Ogbaga suggested that in addressing security situations in Nigerian schools, care should be taken to adequately explore the gaps and grey areas in the school administration that give room for various problems and crises to thrive. He further opined that security and safety of learning environment can only be successful when all the stakeholders in education sector embrace the principles and policies of school security and charged all to join hands to establish and/or re-establish sanity, decency, security and conducive learning environment in Nigerian schools. In their presentations, the officials of some security agencies present at the occasion- Nigeria Police Force (ASP Akubiko Iheukwumere), State Security Service (Peter Ijere), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (Nworie peter E.) and State Fire Service (Simon Mkpuma) - appreciated NOA for creating awareness on the current and persistent violence recently occasioned by terrorists in the country, insisting that such was a sure way of fighting the menace. They advised the school authorities to always train their school administrators, teachers, and support staff on school violence prevention, school security, and school emergency planning best practices; establish a security task force for their school, strengthen partnerships with public safety officials, ensure proper lightening of school environment, mount/post warning signs at strategic positions in schools and intensify relationship with security agencies in their locality. The Zonal Inspector of Education, Ebony North Senatorial Zone, Mr Nduka Ejeh, appreciated NOA for the programme, pledged to work assiduously with the school administrators to ensure implementation and pleaded with the government to include security awareness in the school curriculum such that students will be taught in details security tips and measures. Earlier, the Assistant Director supervising Ebonyi North Zone in NOA, Mr Anthony Uguru, welcomed the stakeholders and implored them to make useful contributions that will be used to fashion out reliable security policies for Nigerian school. Some of the participants thanked NOA for her unyielding efforts at informing Nigerians and pledged to adhere strictly to the tips and measures disclosed to them.