UNICEF Establishes Multi-sectoral Task Teams On School Safety In Katsina

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has established multi-sectoral task teams on school safety across the 34 local government areas of Katsina State to tackle the abduction of school children by terrorists in the state.

UNICEF disclosed this in a statement in Katsina by its Representative in Nigeria, Peter Hawkins, on the eighth anniversary of the abduction of 276 students of Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

He explained that the task teams would provide timely and efficient networking among actors on school security, with particular focus on the safety of girls.

Hawkins added that 60 Junior Secondary Schools (JSS) in the state have developed emergency plans and tested the plans in evacuation drills.

He reiterated that 300 School-based Management Committee (SBMC) members have been trained, while the schools supported have developed emergency preparedness and response plans to mitigate the impact of potential and actual threats.

He said the training was done through the Girls’ Education Project (GEP3) of UNICEF funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom.

“Katsina State government and communities have fenced some schools, and this is encouraging girls to attend school, underscoring the reality that collaboration is required in addressing insecurity in schools and making schools safe, especially for girls,” said Hawkins

With generous funding from donors, he said, UNICEF is collaborating with the government of Nigeria to protect children’s right to education in a safe and inclusive learning environment.

According to him, “This involves building the capacity of school-based management committees on school safety and security and strengthening community resilience.”