The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun on Thursday, launched the Safe School Initiative programme in Bauchi state.
Speaking during the launching ceremony in Bauchi, the IGP said that the initiative was important owing to the fact that Schools were not only spaces of knowledge, but nurturing ground for future leaders.
According to him, the educational Security Policy provides a detailed framework of proactive and prompt response mechanisms to counter any emerging security threat.
He added that it guaranteed the safety and security of schools, Students,Teachers, Non-Academic Staff and the host communities in order to ensure smooth implementation of teaching and learning in schools.
Represented by Abubakar Sadiq, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 12 Headquarters Bauchi, Abubakar Aliyu, the IGP said that the importance of schools to the development of the nation could not be over emphasized.
"Our gathering here today at this epoch event is a clear reminder of the responsibility that rests on our shoulders to provide a safe and conducive learning environment for our children.
“Protection of lives and properties is a core mandate of the Nigeria Police and we are working tirelessly in collaboration and active partnership with stakeholders.
“I have equally directed all Commissioners of Police in the states to also engage their various stakeholders to ensure that the safety of schools is guaranteed in line with the overall National Plan of financing safe schools Initiative across the federation"
"It is by working that we can achieve a safer, more secure and conducive environment for our children,” he said.
He called on all educational authorities and community leaders to work together with the police and other security agencies to ensure that the schools were fortified against any potential threat.
Speaking earlier, Hajiya Halima Iliya, the National Coordinator on financing Safe schools, said that strengthening security resilience and integration of host communities in the protection of education is one of the objectives of the National plan on financing safe schools.
She explained that the national plan has incorporated a mult-level approach to provide response security coverage to host communities, schools and other learning places adopting the ‘whole society approach’ in the protection of education.
She called on states that are yet to key into the Safe Schools Programme to do so in order to achieve measurable outcomes which would improve Nigeria's rating in the Human Capital Index in the long run.
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