The Katsina State Government has taken a major step toward strengthening security in schools by inaugurating a steering committee to domesticate and implement the National Safe Schools Policy (NSSP).
The initiative, launched in Katsina on Thursday, is supported by the Education Cannot Wait (ECW) project and aims to improve the safety of learning environments for pupils and teachers across the state.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Yusuf Suleiman, described the development as an important milestone in ensuring that schools remain safe spaces where children can learn without fear.
According to him, meaningful education can only take place in an environment where students and teachers feel protected from violence, insecurity, and other threats.
He reaffirmed that education remains a key priority of the administration of Dikko Radda, noting that the state government continues to invest in policies and programmes that improve child welfare and strengthen the education system.
Suleiman explained that schools in the state face multiple risks, including insecurity, natural hazards, and other safety challenges. Addressing these threats, he said, requires coordinated collaboration among government agencies, security institutions, development partners, civil society organisations, and local communities.
The newly inaugurated committee will provide strategic leadership for implementing the safe schools initiative and coordinate the domestication of the NSSP at the state level. It will also guide partnerships and monitor the implementation of policies designed to safeguard students and teachers.
The commissioner also acknowledged the contributions of international partners supporting the project, particularly Save the Children International and UNICEF, which are assisting the programme through the ECW project.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Director of Programme Influencing at Save the Children, Badar Musa, explained that the initiative aligns with Nigeria’s endorsement of the Safe Schools Declaration in 2015. The declaration provides guidelines and minimum standards aimed at protecting schools and ensuring uninterrupted education nationwide.
He noted that states across the country are encouraged to establish similar committees to domesticate the policy locally and improve school safety.
Musa commended Katsina State for taking the initiative, adding that once the process is completed, the state will become the fifth in Nigeria to domesticate the National Safe Schools Policy.
He emphasised that schools must remain neutral and secure spaces for learning, warning that using school facilities as operational bases by security forces could expose students and teachers to greater risks during attacks.
He also highlighted the role of the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre, which monitors threats and coordinates preventive actions to protect schools across Nigeria.
According to the commissioner, the centre has helped prevent hundreds of potential attacks on schools between February 2023 and December 2025, demonstrating the importance of coordinated security strategies in safeguarding the education sector.
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