Insecurity has pushed 10m children out of school in Nigeria – Report

…as terrorists, bandits killed 600 teachers in four years

About 10 million out of the 18.3 million out of school children in Nigeria, with the Northern part of the Country has a greater percentage, were said to have been forced out of the school as a result of insecurity and insurgency, a report has shown.

A 2021 report issued by National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, also indicated that between 2012 and 2016, more than 600 teachers were killed in attacks, while more than 19,000 were displaced by terrorists and bandits.

These facts are coming against the backdrop of a recent United Nations Children’ s Fund (UNICEF), Account, which stated that Nigeria has the highest number of out of school children in the world, with 1 out 3 children in the Country is estimated to be out of school.

Over 10.2 million of the children are said to have dropped out of primary schools, while, 8.1 million dropped out of secondary school, and the Northwest and Northeast regions, are reportedly to be the most ravaged by insecurity with about 66 percentage of the total out of school children in Nigeria.

These are some of the major take-aways from a one-day ‘Safe Schools Stakeholders’ Forum held on security for schools and host communities organised by the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre in Kano on Monday.

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While, welcoming guests to the event, Abayomi Shogunle, national coordinator, Schools’ Protection Squad, said the issue of security and safety of schools, and other learning environment had continued to attract the attention of the Federal Government and Governments at sub-national levels.

Shogunle, who is a Commissioner of Police, noted that Nigeria had continued to face security challenges such as kidnapping, homicide, and destruction of school infrastructure, which sometime had led to the closure of schools, host communities, and a development that is fuelling the out of school children syndrome.

“I warmly welcome all of us to today’s important event. The security and safety of our schools and other learning environment continue to attract the attention of the Federal Government of Nigeria. In recent years, Nigeria had faced security challenges such as kidnappings, homicide, and destruction of school infrastructure sometimes leading to school closures and negatively affecting host communities, these incidences can be linked to the increasing number of out-of-school children.

“The National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools in a 2021 report indicated that between 2012 and 2016, more than 600 teachers were killed in attacks, while more than 19,000 were displaced.

“The Nigerian government, recognizing its responsibility to create a safer and more secured learning environment formally signed the safe school declaration document on 31st December, 2019 to signal the country’s commitment to its implementation alongside 118 member countries.

“To further demonstrate the resolve to address the serious challenges posed by conflicts and insecurity to safety of schools, the Federal Ministry of Finance, in consultation with local and global stakeholders, conveyed a high-level forum on 20 April 2021 to address the menace of attacks on education on a holistic and sustainable basis by creating innovative sources of funding through federal, state and local governments”, he stated.