Due to incessant attacks on schools by bandits leading to abduction and kidnapping of pupils, students and their teaching and nonteaching staff, the Kaduna State has announced plans to relocate 359 schools from high-risk areas to safer communities within the state.
Governor, Senator Uba Sani represented by his Chief of Staff, Sani Kila, disclosed this during a stakeholders’ forum and training session for the newly established Schools’ Protection Squad.
He attributed the decline primarily to insecurity, particularly in areas such as Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Giwa and Igabi where ongoing insecurity has compelled the consolidation of schools, exacerbating the issue of out-of-school children.
“There is significant decline in school enrollment with over 200,000 primary school pupils during the 2022/2023 academic session compared to the previous year.
“To ensure uninterrupted education for children residing in conflict-prone and terrorist-infested areas, this administration has commenced the merging of 359 schools with those situated in safer locations,” he said.
The Governor expressed concern over the disruptive impact of non-state actors on socio-economic activities, emphasized the importance of safeguarding the state’s educational sector.
“This initiative, part of the federal government’s Safe School Initiative, aims to enhance security measures to protect educational institutions, students and teachers from attacks orchestrated by bandits and terrorists,” he said.
Recall that on March 7, bandits carried out mass abduction of over 250 pupils from the LEA primary school, Kuriga, with 167 of them released two weeks later following a military operation.
