The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has declared that the Federal Government will account for every public resource committed to the Safe Schools Initiative, reaffirming the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to transparency, accountability and the protection of learners across Nigeria.
Speaking during an interactive session with the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative, Dr. Alausa stressed that while the funds under review, including appropriated funds, international grants and foreign donations, were disbursed several years before his appointment as Minister, the Federal Government remains fully committed to accounting for their utilisation.
“Government is a continuum. We have a responsibility to account to Nigerians for how public resources have been managed, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the distinguished Senate in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities,” the Minister said.
Dr. Alausa disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education has established a full fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes nationwide. The new department replaces the former Safe Schools Financing Unit with a stronger institutional structure that reflects the Ministry’s constitutional responsibility for education policy, implementation and monitoring.
According to the Minister, the Ministry now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative through a unified national framework designed to strengthen implementation, improve accountability and enhance monitoring of interventions across Nigeria’s 774 Local Government Areas.
He said the Ministry is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other relevant agencies to implement a comprehensive national framework that will deliver safer schools across the country.
“School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner,” Dr. Alausa said. “The Safe Schools Initiative has many interconnected components that require a coordinated national approach.
While our security agencies will continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme.”
The Minister explained that the renewed Safe Schools Initiative goes beyond physical security to include perimeter fencing, solar powered lighting, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, surveillance technology, trained security personnel, technology driven early warning systems, effective monitoring mechanisms and stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies.
He noted that the establishment of the dedicated department underscores the unwavering commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to ensuring that every Nigerian child, from foundational to tertiary education, learns in a safe, secure and conducive environment.
The Minister’s presentation drew commendation from the Chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee, Distinguished Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, who praised Dr. Alausa for his consistent respect for parliamentary oversight, transparency and accountability.
Senator Kalu described the Minister as a public servant who has consistently honoured invitations from the National Assembly and constructively engaged lawmakers in the discharge of their constitutional oversight responsibilities.
He also commended Dr. Alausa’s ongoing reforms in the education sector, describing them as bold initiatives that are strengthening Nigeria’s education system and contributing to national development, while reaffirming the Committee’s commitment to supporting efforts to improve the safety of schools, teachers and learners nationwide.
Dr. Alausa thanked the Senate Committee for its constructive engagement and reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to working closely with the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and deliver sustainable solutions that safeguard schools and improve learning outcomes across the country.
He assured Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Education will continue to provide the leadership, policy direction and strategic partnerships required to build a safer, more resilient education system where every child can learn without fear.
