The Education Coordinator for Save the Children International (SCI), Borno Area Office, Mr Nebath Mela, has visited the National Safe Schools Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), commending it on focusing on preventive measures rather than being reactionary in its approach to ensure safer schools in Nigeria.
According to Mela, “tremendous work is being done at the centre with emphasis on preventive measures taken to make schools safer, rather than being reactionary which is encouraging.”
The elated Coordinator indicated interest in contributing to activities of the NSSRCC through capacity building for stakeholders, most especially at the community levels.
“Already radio jingles are being sponsored concerning Safe Schools, we will continue it as our support to the centre,” Mela said.
He emphasized that there is need to train immediate school basement committee to acquaint them with Early Warning Systems, noting that when that is achieved, the beneficiaries would have been empowered to act when such signals are detected.
The Coordinator who was accompanied on the visit to the Centre by Mr Badar Musa, expressed pleasure for been at the centre where said deliberate strategies are mapped out and implemented to ensure safer schools in Nigeria.
Nebath who was received by the Secretary, Technical Advisory Committee (TAC), Consultant to the Centre, DCC Amishi Ligom in company of other officers of the centre on behalf of Commander of the Centre, CSC Tersoo Shaapera decried the ugly trend in the last 5 – 10years when schools were made target of attacks, but expressed hope of the situation been confronted especially with implementation of Safe Schools Project which led to inauguration of the NSSRCC.
Responding, the Commander, Dr Shaapera explained that though the Centre is housed at Headquarters of the NSCDC and is fully supported by the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi it is meant to coordinate activities of all agencies who are saddled with responsibilities of protecting schools.
The Commander added that plans have gone far to engage state Governors some of whom have donated structures to serve control centres with other support, and maintained arrangements are ongoing to reach out to all states and 774 Local Governments for their support.
He assured the Education Coordinator of collaboration most especially as activities of SCI focus bon managing safe schools in the North-East since 2018 and the society’s contribution in literatures some of which are valuable in the centre.
Flagged off on 13th February, 2023, the Commander notes that the centre has successfully completed nine trainings while some are being planned for execution very soon, stating that it has also succeeded in preventing 16 attacks on schools.