Ebonyi State commissioner for education, Dr Sunday Nwangele has announced a partnership with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to patrol schools for the safety of pupils.
Nwangele made the disclosure in Abakaliki when the commandant of the NSCDC visited him in his office at the Centenary City, Abakaliki. He assured the NSCDC commandant that their request for assistance to carry out safe school initiative training is acceptable to the Ministry of Education.
Nwangele called on men and officers of the command to apprehend any student or teacher seen loitering between the hours of 8am and 2pm adding that loitering of students and pupils as well as teachers during school hour has been banned by the state government.
He maintained that all categories of schools in Ebonyi State including public, private and faith based have been unified to one school calendar year, for schools reopening, closing, midterm break and other extra curriculum activities.
Earlier, the commandant of NSCDC, Engr Felix Gbolade said they were in the ministry to carry out Safe School Initiative Programme in the state.
He said arrangement had been concluded to assemble students and teachers for training under safe school initiative programme, which is on security consciousness in their schools.
He stated that Ebonyi is the first to organise the programme after Abuja and requested the presence of the state government during the programme.
The commandant noted that the programme will reduce the risk being faced by school children and teachers adding that security is the responsibility of everyone.