Nigeria’s Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, has established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes nationwide.
Alausa disclosed this in Abuja during an interactive session convened by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee to review the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative, including the utilisation of appropriated funds, international grants and other external support for the programme.
Alausa said the new department replaces the former unit with a stronger institutional structure that reflects the ministry’s constitutional responsibility for education policy, implementation and monitoring.
According to the minister, the ministry now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative through a unified national framework designed to strengthen implementation, improve accountability and enhance monitoring of interventions across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.
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He added that the ministry is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, Department of State Services, Armed Forces of Nigeria, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive national framework for safer schools.
“School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner. 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,” Alausa said.
The minister explained that the renewed Safe Schools Initiative extends beyond physical security, integrating perimeter fencing, solar-powered lighting, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, surveillance technology, trained security personnel, technology-driven early warning systems, effective monitoring mechanisms and stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies to create safer and more conducive learning environments.
He noted that the establishment of the dedicated department reflects the commitment of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensuring that every Nigerian child, from foundational to tertiary education, has access to a safe, secure and conducive learning environment.
Dr Alausa thanked the Senate Ad-hoc Committee for its engagement and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and deliver sustainable solutions that safeguard schools and enhance learning outcomes.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to provide leadership, policy direction and strategic partnerships needed to build a safer and more resilient education system where every child can learn without fear.
Dr Alausa reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency, accountability and the safety of learners across Nigeria, following commendation from the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative for his cooperation with the National Assembly and respect for parliamentary oversight.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, described the minister as a public servant who has consistently demonstrated respect for constitutional institutions by honouring invitations from the National Assembly and engaging constructively with lawmakers in the discharge of oversight responsibilities.
The senator also commended the minister’s reforms in the education sector, describing them as initiatives strengthening Nigeria’s education system and contributing to national development.
He reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at improving the safety of schools, teachers and learners.
Addressing members of the committee, Dr Alausa explained that the funds under review, including international grants, foreign donations and appropriated funds, were disbursed several years before he was appointed minister.
He noted that the Safe Schools Financing Unit responsible for administering the funds was then domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The minister emphasised that although the disbursements predated his tenure, the Federal Government remains committed to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
“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,” he said.
