The Ondo State Government has inaugurated a steering committee for the Safe Schools Programme, a federal initiative aimed at shielding students, teachers, and educational facilities from violence, abductions, and other security challenges.
The committee, comprising military, police, civil defence, Amotekun, religious leaders, and parents’ representatives, is tasked with protecting students and school infrastructure from kidnappings and attacks.
The committee was formally launched on Tuesday in Akure, with Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Igbekele Ajibefun, explaining that the body was established to provide strategic direction, coordinate stakeholder efforts, and execute critical responsibilities.
Members include representatives from the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Amotekun Corps, religious and traditional institutions, and the Parents-Teachers Association.
Ajibefun, who chairs the committee, charged members to support the implementation of the programme and strengthen mechanisms for preventing security threats in schools across the state. He stressed that the initiative’s success depends on the active involvement of all stakeholders, adding that security is a shared duty requiring vigilance, readiness, resilience, and collective effort.
“You are to support the implementation of the Safe Schools Programme and strengthen mechanisms to prevent security threats in the educational institutions of the state,” he told the committee. He further urged members to carry out their responsibilities with diligence, commitment, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose.
In his welcome address, Permanent Secretary Akindele Ige, who also serves as the committee’s secretary, noted that the establishment of the steering committee was a direct response to the growing security threats targeting schools. He observed that recent attacks have underscored the urgent need for deliberate, coordinated, and sustained action to protect students, educators, and infrastructure across the state.
“No meaningful teaching can take place where there is fear, and no effective learning can occur where there is insecurity,” Ige affirmed.
