By Saheed Ibrahim
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Following violent attacks and kidnapping of school children in various parts of the country, the Federal Government has set aside N15 billion in the 2023 budget to safeguard the children.
Speaking at the training of safe school administrators in Abuja, the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, said that urgent steps must be taken to not swell the N20 million children already out of school.
Speaking through Hajia Halima, the Minister said that her ministry had committed N15 billion in 2023 and has authorised agencies to release funds.
“We had a national plan launched in December last year by the Minister of Finance Budget and National Planning in collaboration with the Ministry of Education for the protection of schools in the country. This is the component of the national plan. We intend to train them to domesticate it in their various locations. That’s the state,” the Minister said.
Speaking, the Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, noted that an estimated 75 per cent (according to the UNDP) of children are in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps without access to learning.
“He added that many parents were scared to send their children to schools, thereby contributing to the country’s high rate of out-of-school children.
