Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, has raised the alarm over the number of teachers killed by insurgent in Borno and other states in the Northeast and called urgent need to safeguard education. Adamu said over 2,295 teachers have been killed and 19,000 others displaced in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states in the last nine years, while estimated 1,500 schools have been destroyed since 2014, thereby devastating the school system.
According to a statement signed by Assistant Chief Information Officer in t the ministry, Agidike Abdul Onu, the Minister raised the alarm in his keynote address at a workshop for “Review of the Legal Framework on the Safe School Declaration: An initiative for Protection of Education from Attack in Nigeria”.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Arch. Sonny Echono, he stressed that the idea that education could and should continue during and despite conflict was not evident for many people, especially compared to basic life- saving services such as medical assistance, shelter, food or water and sanitation. Earlier in a welcome address, the Director of Education Support Services, Mrs. Justina Ibe, who represented the Permanent Secretary, said there was need to develop a sound legal framework to ensure proper implementation of the Safe School Initiatives.
