Insecurity: FG may allow students access to non-smartphones

 

Due to the vulnerable nature of schools in some parts of the country to attacks by terrorists, the Federal Government is planning to introduce access to non-smartphones for students in security compromised states, Sunday PUNCH has learnt.

This was disclosed in a document by the Federal Ministry of Education titled, ‘Security of our schools – New policy on telephone’, which was made exclusively available to our correspondent in Abuja.

Saturday PUNCH had reported that no fewer than 615 schools had remained shut in some troubled states owing to attacks by terrorists in different parts of the country.

Many northern states have come under attack by terrorists with many people, including children, killed and several others kidnapped. The most hit states are Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina and Niger, while Sokoto, Kebbi, Bauchi, Plateau and Taraba states have not been spared by the attackers.

The document partly reads, “Government is considering allowing students in vulnerable schools to have access to non-smartphones for purposes of providing a veritable communication network between students, teachers, parents, security agents and other relevant stakeholders.

“We believe this will sufficiently deter criminals as they can be easily hunted down, sometimes even before they strike.

“We have also put in place a comprehensive emergency preparedness and response mechanism to deal with emerging security threats in our schools.”

The ministry highlighted some security tips as follows, “School disaster management are to be established under the purview of the vice-principal (admin); principals should carry out periodic security checks around their schools; schools are to cooperate with security agencies in their localities; and community vigilante groups should be empowered and encouraged.”

Speaking in an interview with Sunday PUNCH, the Programme Director, Reform Education Nigeria, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, said, “This is a commendable development; our schools need to be kept safe at all cost.

“Recently, the data by UNESCO revealed that Nigeria now has over 20 million out-of-school children; this implies that insecurity is taking a toll and it is affecting the number of students in our schools.

“The introduction of non-smartphones will go a long way and this will help to notify teachers and security agencies to be on alert. We urge the Federal Government to make sure that this is speedily implemented.”