From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
Stakeholders at a one day Sensitisation and Step Down Workshop on School Safety Declaration in Benue State have called for policy strengthening to make schools environment safety for teaching and learning.
The stakeholders were drawn among principals, the traditional institution, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Ministry of Women Affairs, the legislature, the clergy and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs).
Others are Teaching Service Board (TSB) Makurdi, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), security agencies and students of Government Girls’ College (GGC).
They also called for enlistment of vulnerable schools that are at the risk of attacks and outbreaks of disease, involvement of students, teachers, parents and all stakeholders in the development of safety environment as well as legislation that covers conduct and misconduct of both students and teachers to enhance learning.
The workshop, organised by Community Links and Human Empowerment Initiative (CLHEI) in partnership with Selu Afrique Community Development Initiative for Women Empowerment (SACDIWE), Development Research Projects Centre (DRPC) and supported by the FordFoundation.
Executive Director of CLHEI, Dr. Helen Teghtegh said the aim is to roll up the Safe School Environment Declaration (SSD), support the prioritisation of safe school and learning environment and ensure that stakeholders are equipped with evidence based knowledge for informed decision making and actions to promote safe school learning environment in Benue State.
She explained further that stakeholders have a critical role to play in the declaration of safe school environment, saying Benue State is yet to have a policy on safe learning environment.
On her part, the Executive Director of SACDIWE, Mandy Kaunan, the partnership became necessary to ensure that Benue State key into the safe school policy.
According to her, the exercise involves training stakeholders in the education sector and it is the first in the state.
Nigeria’s signatory to the Safe School Environment Declaration in 2018 with the Government Girls’ College event marking first efforts in stepping down the declaration in Benue State.
In her welcome speech, Principal GGC Makurdi, Mrs. Dorathy Ganyam, while expressing delight with the initiative encouraged stakeholders to take advantage of the programme and contribute for a safe school environment.
In his goodwill message, the House Committee Chairman on Education, Science and Technology, Terkaa Ucha said the safe school environment declaration has presented lawmakers with an opportunity to consider the issues that maybe factored in legislation.
Ucha, who was represented by his Committee’s Secretary, Francis Adole, assured that lawmakers are open to partnership with the organisers in ensuring that schools are safe for students and teachers, saying schools should be safe havens for children to go in and learn for a secured and better future.
Other speakers including Robert Ahor, Head of Department (HOD) Education in the Makurdi Local Government Education Authority and the Benue State Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS), Omaji Samuel, noted that all forms of businesses thrive when the environment is conducive.
While Ahor thinks local government autonomy is one sure way towards achieving a safe school environment, Omaji said teachers will grab the opportunity and collectively work to ensure that schools are safe for teaching and learning