Insecurity: FG may allow students access to devices other than smartphones
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Due to the vulnerable nature of schools in some parts of the country to terrorist attacks, the federal government plans to introduce non-smartphone access for students in states with compromised safety, Sunday PUNCH learned.
This was revealed in a document from the Federal Ministry of Education titled 'Safety of Our Schools - New Telephone Policy', which has been made available exclusively to our correspondent in Abuja.
Saturday PUNCH had reported that as many as 615 schools remained closed in some troubled states due to terrorist attacks in different parts of the country.
Many northern states have been attacked by terrorists and many people, including children, have been killed and many others abducted. The most affected states are Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger, while the states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba were not spared by the attackers.
The document reads in part: "The government is considering allowing students in vulnerable schools to have access to phones other than smartphones to provide a real communication network between students, teachers, parents, security officers and other relevant stakeholders.
"We believe this will deter criminals enough as they can be easily tracked down, sometimes even before they strike.
"We have also put in place a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response mechanism to deal with emerging security threats in our schools."
The ministry highlighted some safety tips as follows: "Disaster management in schools should be established under the responsibility of the deputy principal (administrator); principals should carry out periodic safety checks around their schools; schools should cooperate with security agencies in their localities; and community vigilante groups should be empowered and encouraged.”
Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Program Director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said, “This is a commendable development; our schools must be secure at all costs.
“Recently, UNESCO data revealed that Nigeria now had over 20 million out-of-school children; this implies that insecurity is taking its toll and affecting the number of students in our schools.
"Introducing non-smartphones will go a long way and it will help warn teachers and security agencies to be on high alert. We urge the federal government to ensure this is quickly implemented." < /p>
Please share this story:
Due to the vulnerable nature of schools in some parts of the country to terrorist attacks, the federal government plans to introduce non-smartphone access for students in states with compromised safety, Sunday PUNCH learned.
This was revealed in a document from the Federal Ministry of Education titled 'Safety of Our Schools - New Telephone Policy', which has been made available exclusively to our correspondent in Abuja.
Saturday PUNCH had reported that as many as 615 schools remained closed in some troubled states due to terrorist attacks in different parts of the country.
Many northern states have been attacked by terrorists and many people, including children, have been killed and many others abducted. The most affected states are Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger, while the states of Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba were not spared by the attackers.
The document reads in part: "The government is considering allowing students in vulnerable schools to have access to phones other than smartphones to provide a real communication network between students, teachers, parents, security officers and other relevant stakeholders.
"We believe this will deter criminals enough as they can be easily tracked down, sometimes even before they strike.
"We have also put in place a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response mechanism to deal with emerging security threats in our schools."
The ministry highlighted some safety tips as follows: "Disaster management in schools should be established under the responsibility of the deputy principal (administrator); principals should carry out periodic safety checks around their schools; schools should cooperate with security agencies in their localities; and community vigilante groups should be empowered and encouraged.”
Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, Program Director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said, “This is a commendable development; our schools must be secure at all costs.
“Recently, UNESCO data revealed that Nigeria now had over 20 million out-of-school children; this implies that insecurity is taking its toll and affecting the number of students in our schools.
"Introducing non-smartphones will go a long way and it will help warn teachers and security agencies to be on high alert. We urge the federal government to ensure this is quickly implemented." < /p>
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