The significance of open communication and understanding in addressing problems has been stressed by Professor Tahir Mamman, who serves as the Minister of Education of the federal ministry of education. During the visit to Abuja, the Minister made this statement while meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). He commended NANS for their mature and high-quality approach to handling student issues, showing appreciation for their standards. In addition, he emphasized the continuation of government initiatives to improve campus safety with the National Safe School Rapid Response Centre.
This centre efficiently deals with Security risks, upholds current policies like providing e-Insurance for college students, and resolves scholarship concerns in a timely manner. The Federal Government launched the Safe School Response initiative as a proactive measure to address the rise in bandit attacks targeting schools. On February 23, 2023, the Federal Government inaugurated the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre. This organization is tasked with organizing and managing safety measures to combat violence in schools and surrounding areas.
Importance of educating students to utilize official channels.
Also, the focus will be on implementing technology-based solutions rather than hiring more personnel to enhance School Security. It is impossible for any one organization to reach all the schools in Nigeria, as there are over 100,000 schools in the country. In addition, the Safe School philosophy goes beyond just having security guards on school grounds; it prioritizes surveillance from outside sources. The emphasis should no longer be on having enough staff, but on improving Technology for immediate monitoring, creating early alert systems, and quick responses. Bringing armed personnel into schools can have negative effects on student’s mental well-being.
In addition, Professor Mamman introduced several fresh projects within the Ministry’s policy framework, including the establishment of a data repository, training programs for out-of-school teachers, and initiatives for acquiring new skills. Dr. Yusuf Sununu, the Minister of State, emphasized the importance of educating students to utilize official channels in order to prevent fraud, particularly regarding the NELFUND. He commended the proactive and diplomatic approach of the NANS leadership in addressing this issue. Dr. Sununu acknowledged the obstacles that students face with bilateral education agreement scholarships abroad.
Student representatives should be a part of the decision-making bodies.
He explained that the delays in funding are due to financial limitations but reassured students that the Ministry is actively collaborating with the Finance Ministry to address these challenges and improve their situation. President of NANS, Comrade Lucky Emonefe, thanked the Ministers for their assistance and brought to their attention the struggles of students studying on scholarships overseas. These students are experiencing difficulties because of unpaid tuition fees and allowances, as well as delays in receiving loans from the Student Loans Board.
His suggestion was to simplify the process to swiftly provide students with financial assistance and he recommended introducing a uniform ID card system for all students across the country to enhance monitoring, organization, and protection of student communities. Comrade Emonefe strongly supported the idea of having student representatives be a part of the decision-making bodies within educational institutions. Nigeria’s National Association of Students (NANS), previously known as the National Union of Nigerian Students (NUNS), serves as a unifying force for students from Nigeria in both their home country and abroad. Established in 1956 after the reorganization of the West African Students’ Union, NUNS united the student bodies from Ife, Zaria, and Nsukka into a single organization.
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During the Ali Must Go protests in April 1978, Nigerian students took to campuses across the country to Protest against the government’s decision to raise fees. The response from authorities was harsh, with the deployment of military and police forces resulting in the injury or death of more than twenty students. As a result, three universities were shut down and NUNS was outlawed, leading to the dismissal of numerous staff and students. Umar Faruq Lawal was elected as the president of the association on September 4th for a one-year term, following the tradition of each president serving for only one year.
