The Kaduna Basic Education Accountability Mechanism (KADBEAM) and the National Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) have commended the Federal Government for allocating N15.2 billion for safe school interventions in its 2023 Budget proposals.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday presented the 2023 Budget Proposals of N20.5 trillion to the Joint Session of the National Assembly in Abuja for consideration.
Buhari had explained that a total of N15.2 billion has been provided in the budget to scale up current measures to provide a safer and conducive learning environment in our schools.
The Citizens’ Co-chair of the education accountability group, KADBEAM, Malam Tijjani Aliyu, said that ensuring a safer and conducive learning environment was very crucial to building a literate society for the development of the country.
Aliyu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Friday, that the current insecurity across the country had negatively impacted on the country’s education system.
He pointed out that many schools were closed due to insecurity, while in other communities, learners were not attending school for fear of being attacked or kidnapped.
“I am excited that the Federal Government has seen reason to allocate funds in its 2023 proposed budget to scale-up ongoing efforts to provide a safer environment conducive for learning in schools.
“This will go a long way in restoring our trust and confidence in the government’s commitment to keep our children safe while in school,” he said.
Mr Haruna Danjuma, National President of the National Parents-Teachers Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), said adequate security in schools would avert the activities of bandits and kidnappers, disturbing students’ education.
“During schools’ resumption in September, NAPTAN had urged the Federal Government and its federating states to provide adequate security in schools to keep our children safe.
“We are happy that in response to our call, the Federal Government has made budgetary provisions for safe schools’ initiative in its 2023 budget proposals.
“This will secure our schools and encourage our children, who have dropped out of school because of insecurity, to return to the class and continue learning,” he said. (NAN)