New Telegraph

Insecurity: 12m children traumatised, afraid of school – Buhari

…says it’s been tough dealing with security challenges

President Muhammadu Buhari has said over 12 million children, especially girls, have been traumatised due to attacks on schools, and are afraid of returning to school to access quality education.

Speaking at the 4th International Conference on Safe Schools Declaration with the theme: ‘Ensuring Safe Education for All: From Commitment to Practice’ co-hosted by Nigeria on Tuesday in Abuja, President Buhari noted that by implication, the incessant kidnappings of pupils/students and general insecurity in schools have exacerbated many factors responsible for the growing number of Out-of-School Children, already the highest globally.

Represented by the Chief of Staff, Ibrahim Gambari, he noted that although it had been tough dealing with the issues of insecurity and their effects, Nigeria’s unshakeable faith in resolving the daunting security challenges was evident in its determination to enhance a robust security at learning institutions.

He said: “In recent times, all over the world, there has been a myriad of persistent attacks on education and Nigeria is also having its own fair share of these attacks.

“It is no longer news that at will, bandits, kidnappers and terrorists invade our educational facilities to abduct the learners in large numbers. Some places that have been hit by this menace include Chibok, Dapchi, Buni Yadi, Afaka, Kagora, and Jangebe in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara states respectively.

“It is disheartening to note that even when the abducted students are released the trauma of the incidents remain long in their minds hence the plan to have teachers trained on psycho-social support.”

Quoting a report by S.B Morgan, the president revealed that out of 1,462 learners and education personnel abducted between December 1, 2019 and September 2021, 17 teachers and learners had lost their lives.

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