The Federal Government has renewed its commitment to strengthening the safety and resilience of schools nationwide, urging stakeholders to move beyond dialogue and take concrete, coordinated action to protect learners, teachers and educational institutions from violence, insecurity and other threats that disrupt learning.
The call was made at the commemoration of the 2026 International Day to Protect Education from Attack, held on 9 September 2026 at the Federal Ministry of Education, Abuja. Stakeholders emphasized the need for sustained vigilance, effective coordination, timely response and stronger community engagement to safeguard education.
The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, in his message, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that schools remain safe, secure and conducive to teaching and learning, in line with the education transformation priorities of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Represented by the Director, Senior Secondary Education Department, Mr. Adeniji Ibrahim, the Minister stressed that every child has the right to learn safely, while every teacher deserves a secure environment in which to teach.
He noted that the 2026 theme, “Can Education Survive Attack in the Resilience of Human Communities?”, is particularly relevant to Nigeria, where terrorism, insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, violence against children, unsafe infrastructure and other emergencies continue to threaten education.
Alausa explained that protecting education goes beyond securing school premises, stressing that resilient schools must identify risks, prepare for emergencies, respond effectively, recover from crises and sustain learning during disruptions.
He said the Federal Government was strengthening the national school safety framework through the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools and related guidelines. He described the establishment of a dedicated Department of School Safety within the Federal Ministry of Education as a significant step towards improving coordination and strengthening the national Safe Schools response.
The Minister added that the Ministry was advancing school safety data collection, risk assessment, early-warning systems, emergency preparedness, child safeguarding, psychosocial support and continuity of learning.
Representing the Acting Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mrs. Folake David, the Director, Federal Education Quality Assurance Services Department (FEQAS), Mr. Sunday Ajide, said school safety was a shared responsibility requiring sustained cooperation among education authorities, security and emergency management agencies, communities, parents and development partners.
He stressed the importance of collective vigilance, effective coordination and timely intervention to prevent threats and incidents that could undermine access to education.
Also speaking, the Director, Schools Safety, Federal Ministry of Education, Umar Naseer Muhammad, underscored the importance of translating policy commitments into practical measures that directly safeguard learners, teachers and educational institutions.
He urged stakeholders to strengthen collaboration, vigilance, information sharing and timely response, stressing that protecting education requires collective action rather than the efforts of government alone.
Stakeholders at the commemoration commended the Federal Government for establishing the Department of School Safety, while calling for adequate funding, effective implementation and sustained community engagement. They advocated a shift from reactive responses to anticipatory and preventive action through stronger intelligence gathering, information sharing and operational coordination.
They further stressed that school safety must address not only attacks and insecurity, but also bullying, violence, exclusion and threats to the physical and psychosocial well-being of learners and teachers.
The Federal Ministry of Education recognized the critical contributions of development partners, government agencies, security and emergency management institutions, State Ministries of Education, school administrators, civil society organizations, traditional and community leaders, teachers, parents and students to the Safe Schools agenda.
The Ministry also appreciated development partners and sponsors for their financial, technical and logistical support towards the commemoration and the broader Safe Schools initiative, noting that such partnerships remain vital to building an education system capable of withstanding emerging threats.
The Federal Government therefore called on all stakeholders to translate the outcomes of the commemoration into concrete actions that will strengthen school safety, resilience, emergency preparedness and continuity of learning across Nigeria.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed the Government’s goal of building an education system where children can learn without fear, teachers can teach with confidence and communities can actively contribute to protecting schools.
“When we protect education, we protect children; when we protect children, we protect our communities; and when we build resilient communities, we secure a better future.”