FG to train vigilantes and teachers to enhance school security nationwide
FG to train vigilantes and teachers to enhance school security nationwide
In a concerted effort to bolster school security and protect schoolchildren, the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC) at the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has announced plans to train vigilantes and teachers nationwide.
The NSSRCC, established by the Federal Government, coordinates safety and security responses against violence in schools and host communities.
The move comes as terrorists and bandits increasingly target schools for attacks and abductions of students and teachers.
The recent kidnapping of pupils, teachers, and a school bus driver at the Apostolic Faith Group of Schools in Ekiti State highlights the urgency of enhancing school security measures.
Commander of the NSSRCC, Hammed Abodunrin, revealed that various stakeholders, including teachers, private security guards, vigilantes, and local hunters, would undergo specialized training in February 2023 at the state level.
”The aim is to empower these individuals with the skills needed to address the country’s rising insecurity,” he said.
Abodunrin explained that the training initiative would commence with a “train-the-trainers” program at the state level by the end of February.
According to him, participants will include vigilantes, local hunters, and other relevant stakeholders. He said the NSSRCC had surveyed 821,000 schools to assess vulnerability and identified them for targeted training.
“At least one teacher per school would be selected at the community level, and then they will go back to their schools and domesticate the training,” Abodunrin stated.
He acknowledged the challenge of simultaneously reaching all teachers in the surveyed schools, emphasizing the need for phased training.
He noted that the NSSRCC plans to monitor schools at the local level to ensure compliance with the security measures advised during the training.
Abodunrin emphasized the importance of individual and community protection, stating, “If the communities are protected, the schools will be protected.”
”This initiative reflects government’s commitment to enhancing security measures in schools and communities to create a safer environment for learning,” he added.