The Nasarawa State government has said it would collaborate with the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to provide security in primary pupils and government structures across the state.
Executive chairman of Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB), Dr Kassim Muh’d Kassim, disclosed this when the state commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Kabir, paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lafia yesterday.
The chairman said the partnership would enable the NSCDC deploy personnel to protect primary school pupils from kidnap and other crimes in and around school environments.
He said the operatives would also secure school structures and other properties against burglary and vandalism.
Dr. Kassim explained that the gesture would be anchored on the “Safe Schools Initiative”, a programme aimed at protecting students, teachers and educational facilities from threats.
“Right now, we have mobilised contractors to various schools across the state to renovate our structures, build new ones and provide furniture, we spend huge amounts of money and will not allow criminals vandalise these properties.
“I also want to appeal to the commandant to intensify effort to arrest people who vandalise school properties, saying if properly monitored and arrested, those vandalising school properties won’t have where to sell them and vandalism of school properties would reduce drastically,” the chairman said.
He said the Governor Abdullahi Sule-led administration was committed to sustaining high standard of education, adding that regular training and re-training of teachers had been a priority of the government.
Speaking earlier, the NSCDC state commandant said he was on the visit to congratulate the new chairman on his appointment and promised to partner with the board to protect primary school pupils and teachers.
He added, “We monitor schools through our “Safety School Program” operating in all states but our control unit is located in our headquarters in Abuja. If Nasarawa State can queue into it to protect school children and infrastructure, we are ready to partner with you.”
