Fear in the Classroom: School Attacks Put Safe Schools Initiative on Trial

The promise of safer classrooms is facing renewed scrutiny as attacks on schools continue to unsettle communities across Nigeria, raising fresh concerns about whether the country’s Safe Schools Initiative and related interventions are delivering meaningful protection for learners and teachers.

In February, the Federal Government unveiled a Smart School Protection Strategy aimed at strengthening school security through closer collaboration with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, described school safety as a “non-negotiable priority,” announcing the establishment of a dedicated Department of Safe School Initiative to coordinate implementation, monitoring and inter-agency cooperation.

The strategy includes the deployment of smart security systems such as emergency panic alert mechanisms, rapid response structures and command-and-control centres intended to improve intelligence-driven interventions across schools nationwide. Government officials also pledged to explore sustainable funding arrangements to support implementation.

Yet, despite these assurances, insecurity around schools has persisted, prompting stakeholders to question whether existing policies are being effectively enforced beyond official announcements.

Chairperson of the Association of International School Educators in Nigeria, Kofo Karunwi, said recurring kidnappings and attacks suggest that school safety frameworks remain weak in practice. She noted that the abduction of the Chibok girls in 2014 was expected to mark a turning point in Nigeria’s approach to school protection, eventually leading to the Safe Schools Initiative and the Minimum Standards for Safe Schools.

“Sadly, more than a decade later, recurring attacks in states such as Borno and Oyo suggest that these standards have remained stronger on paper than in practice,” she said.

Karunwi warned that the threat to schools is no longer limited to conflict-prone or rural communities, pointing to recent bomb and kidnap threats reportedly directed at schools in Lagos.

“This is no longer an isolated rural problem. Only a few months ago, schools in Lagos were targeted with bomb and kidnap threats, proving that no region can afford complacency,” she added.

According to her, many schools still operate without sufficient infrastructure, emergency systems or enforcement support needed to make safeguarding policies effective.

“Schools are expected to implement safety measures, yet many lack the resources, intelligence support and enforcement backing required to make these measures effective,” she said.

She further criticised what she described as misplaced priorities in national spending, arguing that many schools remain exposed despite repeated security concerns.

“At a time when enormous resources are routinely committed to politics and other public expenditures, many schools remain exposed, underprotected and unequipped to respond to emergencies,” Karunwi stated.

National Coordinator of Concerned Parents Educators, Kemi Koleowo, also raised concerns over weak enforcement of school safeguarding policies, insisting that school managements and government agencies must take greater responsibility for protecting learning environments.

“There is a Safe Schools Initiative, but safeguarding requires securing the environment with competent security arrangements. Bandits should not have easy access to schools,” she said.

Koleowo questioned whether quality assurance departments within education ministries were adequately carrying out their responsibilities, stressing that safety enforcement must become a core aspect of school oversight.

She also highlighted the need for stronger safety awareness among teachers, pupils and parents, arguing that communities must be better prepared to identify and respond to risks.

The National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools similarly described insecurity around schools as a national emergency requiring urgent intervention. In a statement signed by National President, Chief ’Yomi Otubela, and National Secretary, Evangelist Ajibade Augustine, the association warned that schools were increasingly becoming targets of violence and abduction.

“Every child deserves to learn in a safe, peaceful and protected environment. School safety must become a national priority and not merely a reaction after tragic incidents occur,” the statement read.

NAPPS called for improved intelligence gathering, stronger surveillance around schools and deeper community-based security efforts to curb attacks.

Also weighing in, Chief Executive Officer of Margaret Modinat Foundation, Olanrewaju Osibote, linked worsening school insecurity to poor welfare conditions and fragile security systems within educational institutions.

“Most schools are not secure. Teachers are not well taken care of. When security and welfare are poor, you cannot expect commitment or safety in the system,” she said.

Credit: ThePunch