A member of the Board of Trustees of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima, has cautioned the Federal Government against shutting down schools in response to escalating insecurity, insisting that the focus should be on protecting educational institutions rather than closing them.
Speaking on Monday during an interview on Arise Television, monitored by DAILY POST, Galadima described the closure of schools as an indictment on government and stakeholders who have failed to ensure a safe learning environment.
“In the first place, it is shameful to close down the schools. It is shameful on the government, everyone in the administration, and even on us. You cannot close down schools. What you should do is find a way to protect them,” he said.
The NNPP stalwart noted that while state governments struggle to balance safety concerns with the educational needs of students, shutting down schools should never be an option.
He urged authorities to shift from traditional physical security measures and embrace modern, technology-driven systems capable of detecting threats before they occur.
“The government should forget about physical security; we have passed that stage. We need to deploy technology to detect things even before they happen. We also need to set up special squads to deal with issues even before they spring up,” Galadima added.
His comments come amid renewed attacks and mass abductions of students in parts of the country. In response to the surge, the Federal Government recently ordered the immediate closure of 41 unity schools over safety concerns.
In a statement signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Hajiya Binta Abdulkadir, on behalf of the Honourable Minister, the closure was described as a precautionary step to prevent possible security breaches. Principals of the affected schools were directed to comply immediately.
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