THE Federal Government has asked all the principals of its 115 Unity Colleges (FUCs), to take all necessary measures in strengthening security around their institutions as well safeguard the students in the wake of cholera outbreak in the country.
Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, spoke during an interactive session with principals of the Federal Government Colleges in Abuja, said the purpose of the meeting was to deliberate on ensuring maximum protection of schools from attacks.
He urged the principals to as a matter of urgency, register their schools with the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), which is under the control of Nigeria Security and Civil Corps (NSCDC).
The NSSRCC, an initiative of the Federal Government, was established on Feb. 23, 2023, in response to increased cases of attacks on schools by bandits.
The centre is saddled with the responsibility of coordinating safety and security responses against violence in schools and host communities.
Tanko Sununu noted that all schools must be duly registered on the national safe school response coordination centre to filter information that would help secure the schools.
“We are giving a deadline of one-week for all schools to be registered with NSSRCC to filter information and escalate to the security agencies for quick response,’’ he said.
He also expressed decline in the enrolment rate of students, calling on the principals to ensure their schools get more students.
He said that the ministry had developed a portal for self-learning, urging the principals to key into the portal for their students to build their skills through technology education.
He, therefore, charged them to make their schools better, especially in the area of quality education so as to boost students’ enrolment.
Sununu also urged the principals to tackle the spread of the disease in their various schools and as well detect early signs of the outbreak.
Sununu also charged the principals to ensure professionalisation in the teaching profession, by ensuring all teachers within their domain get certification from Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN).
According to him, many staff of the federal government colleges have not regularised their certificate.
He, therefore, called on the principals to encourage their teachers to renew their annual practicing licences, noting that they would be termed as quacks for failing to do so.
The Principal, Federal Science and Technical College (FSTC), Ilesa, Dr Idowu Akinbamijo, in her response, assured the minister that concerted efforts have been on to secure the colleges.
Akinbamijo said measure had been taken to secure the schools in terms of security of lives and properties as well as the health situations.
She canvassed for the employment of more teachers, especially in critical trade subjects’ areas.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, reiterated the ministry’s commitment to work closely with the principals to achieving quality education in all schools.
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