A critical analysis of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools (NPSSVFS)

By Taiwo Mustapha

Nigeria continues to face frequent attacks on schools, particularly in the northern regions. These attacks often involve kidnappings, killings, and destruction of school infrastructure.

A report by the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools indicated that in the period between 2012 and 2016, more than 600 teachers were reportedly killed in attacks, while more than 19,000 were displaced, another report from UNICEF accounted that since the episode of mass abductions of Chibok girls in the Northeast on April 14, 2014, 90 girls remain in captivity, and the country is recovering from another abduction of school children in Kaduna state in March 2024.

These events have given rise to out-of-school children at about 18.5 million, accounting for 15% of the world’s out-of-school children. In this piece, I aim to highlight the ineffectiveness of the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools and other related policies and emphasize the need for urgent intentional implementation.

The National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools, 2021, and Safe School Initiative, 2014 were introduced to provide a framework for ensuring school safety and protection of students, teachers, and the school communities are commendable steps towards ensuring a safe learning environment for Nigerian students, its effective implementation remains inconsistent and questionable. Despite the policy’s comprehensive framework, several factors such as inadequate funding, shortage of trained personnel, ineffective implementation of the policies, delayed response to security threats, and community engagement challenges have hindered its successful outcomes.

Aside from the safety issue in Nigerian schools, there are other critical challenges hurting education in Nigeria, thereby increasing the number of displaced people and out-of-school children, these include low-quality education, poverty, living in rural areas, child marriage, gender discrimination, insurgency, and academic failure. These challenges have led to widespread school closures, displacement of students, and disruptions to the education system. This has significant long-term consequences for the affected children and the nation’s overall development.

Another significant issue is the lack of coordination between security agencies. The fragmentation of security forces hinders effective response to emergencies. Some rich privately owned schools nationwide have internal and external trained security personnel, with some having harmed police officers to safeguard their children in and outside of the school premises. If private schools can do that, the government should be proactive in providing security personnel in our schools before another devastating incident occurs. There is a need for a unified, coordinated approach to school security, involving the police, military, and other relevant agencies. Additionally, the primary failure is the lack of adequate security infrastructure. Many schools, particularly in rural areas, lack basic security measures like perimeter fencing, and emergency response plans. This makes them easy targets for attacks.

As part of my research, I interviewed five African international students at the University of Florida to explore how they were navigating the new academic environment, from our discussion they indicated that they feel safer being on and outside the campus which puts them in a head space to be diligent in everything they do, especially things that relate to their academics. At UF, there are many safety programs in place and all students know how and where to access them. A safer learning environment cannot be overemphasized to achieve student success.

In conclusion, to achieve SDG Goal 4: quality education, the Nigerian government must prioritize the safety of students and educators by investing in robust security measures, providing psychological support, integrating safety technology in schools, and establishing effective emergency response protocols. Furthermore, it is crucial to address the root causes of insecurity, such as poverty, unemployment, and political instability. By taking decisive action and implementing comprehensive security measures, Nigeria can create a safer learning environment for its youth and ensure a brighter future for the nation.

Taiwo Mustapha writes from Florida.