The Katsina government has taken a decisive step toward strengthening school safety across the state by inaugurating a steering committee on safe schools.

The programme, held on Thursday in Katsina, was supported by the Education Cannot Wait project, which aims to domesticate and implement the National Safe Schools Policy.

Speaking at the event, the commissioner for basic and secondary education, Yusuf Suleiman, described the inauguration as a landmark moment in the state’s efforts to ensure that every child learns in a safe, secure environment free from fear, violence, and other threats.

According to him, the state government recognises that meaningful learning can only take place where safety, dignity, and protection are guaranteed for both students and educators.

He reiterated that education remained a top priority of Governor Dikko Radda’s administration, noting that the government had continued to invest in policies and programmes aimed at improving the welfare of children and strengthening the education system.

Mr Suleiman noted that schools across the state face a range of risks, including insecurity, natural hazards, and other forms of violence, and stressed that addressing these challenges requires coordinated efforts among relevant stakeholders.

The commissioner explained that the newly inaugurated committee would provide strategic leadership and coordinate efforts among government ministries, security institutions, civil society organisations, development partners and local communities.

He added that the steering committee would also oversee the domestication and effective implementation of the NSSP in Katsina.

Mr Suleiman assured that the Katsina government was fully committed to domesticating the policy to protect the school environment and ensure uninterrupted learning for children across the state.

He also acknowledged the role of development partners, especially Save the Children International, which implements the ECW project, and UNICEF, in supporting the initiative.

The deputy director of programme influencing at Save the Children, Badar Musa, said the initiative follows Nigeria’s endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015. According to him, the declaration provides a framework and minimum standards for protecting schools nationwide.

Mr Musa explained that states across the federation were encouraged to establish steering committees to domesticate and implement the policy at the state level. He commended Katsina State for taking the step, describing it as a demonstration of strong commitment to child protection and school safety.

According to Mr Musa, Katsina will become the fifth state in the country to domesticate the NSSP once the process is completed. 

He stressed that schools must remain safe spaces for learning and warned against using school facilities as operational bases by security forces.

The deputy director noted that such actions could expose students and teachers to risks during attacks.

He further highlighted the role of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, which monitors threats and coordinates interventions to prevent attacks on schools.

The commissioner said the centre had successfully prevented hundreds of attempted attacks on schools across the country between February 2023 and December 2025. 

(NAN)