Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has expressed deep concern over the significant decline in pupil enrolment across schools in the state.
He attributes this worrying trend to the escalating insecurity fueled by incidents of kidnapping, banditry, and related crimes.
Governor Sani revealed that in response to the security challenges, the government has initiated plans to relocate 359 schools from areas plagued by terrorism.
These schools will be merged with others in safer locations to ensure uninterrupted education for the children.
Speaking at a capacity-building program organized by the Nigeria Police Force School Protection Squad in Kaduna, Governor Sani emphasized the urgent need to fortify security measures in educational institutions.
He stressed the detrimental impact of insecurity on access to education and the safety of students, citing incidents like the recent kidnapping of 135 students from LEA Primary and Junior Secondary School, Kuriga, Chikun Local Government Area.
The governor highlighted the alarming drop in school enrolment rates, with over 200,000 fewer primary school pupils recorded in the 2022/2023 academic session compared to the previous year.
He attributed this dramatic decline to insecurity, particularly in local government areas such as Chikun, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru, Giwa, and Igabi.
Commending the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, for establishing the Schools Protection Squad, Governor Sani reiterated the state’s commitment to collaborating with security agencies to ensure the safety of educational institutions and the revitalization of the educational sector.
