…….Suwaiba unveils four strategic pillars to protect learners, strengthen community intelligence and guarantee uninterrupted learning across 117 colleges.
The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to strengthen security and build resilient learning environments across the 117 Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) nationwide, charging school principals to adopt proactive security management strategies to protect learners, teachers and educational infrastructure against emerging threats.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, gave the charge on Wednesday in Abuja at the 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Principals of Federal Unity Colleges, with the theme, “Nigerian Schools in the Midst of Insecurity: Building Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Learning Environments.”
Professor Ahmad described school safety as fundamental to the delivery of quality education, noting that the incidence of banditry, insurgency, student abductions and communal conflicts poses serious threats to school attendance, enrolment, academic performance and the psychological well-being of learners and teachers.
She observed that the 117 Federal Unity Colleges, established to promote national integration by bringing together students from diverse ethnic, religious and cultural backgrounds, require specialised security attention, particularly because of their boarding-school structure and the large number of young learners living away from their families.
According to her, principals must move beyond their traditional instructional responsibilities to embrace proactive security leadership, stressing that “today’s Federal Unity Colleges’ principals cannot just be instructional leaders; they must also be active, forward-thinking security managers.”
Outlining the Federal Government’s approach under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Minister identified four strategic pillars for strengthening school safety: improved physical security infrastructure through stronger perimeter fencing, controlled access and electronic surveillance; community-based intelligence networks involving traditional rulers, host communities and other stakeholders; expanded psychosocial support and trauma-informed counselling for learners and teachers; and the deployment of digital technology to sustain teaching and learning during emergencies.
She urged principals to regularly assess their institutional security arrangements, conduct emergency response drills, strengthen communication and collaboration with security agencies, and develop practical, institution-specific emergency preparedness plans that reflect the security realities of their respective locations.
The Minister further emphasised the importance of learning continuity measures, including digital and offline learning resources, alternative teaching arrangements and academic recovery programmes to ensure that security disruptions do not deprive students of their educational opportunities.
She assured principals of the Ministry’s continued support in promoting their welfare, advocating improved security resources and strengthening institutional capacity to ensure that Federal Unity Colleges remain safe environments for academic excellence and national unity.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Principals of Federal Unity Colleges, Alhaji Shehu Dahiru, described the theme as timely, emphasising that education cannot thrive in an atmosphere of fear and insecurity.
He called for sustained Federal Government intervention to address the challenges confronting the colleges. He also advocated stronger perimeter protection, surveillance systems, early-warning mechanisms, effective emergency communication and comprehensive learning continuity plans, particularly for colleges in vulnerable locations.
The Chairman stressed that school safety is a collective responsibility requiring coordinated action by government, school administrators, teachers, parents, host communities, traditional institutions and security agencies. He commended the Federal Government’s ongoing education reforms, including the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, teacher development, digital learning and curriculum improvement, while pledging the commitment of principals to their effective implementation.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterates its determination to strengthen school security through sustained stakeholder collaboration, effective institutional leadership and strategic interventions that protect learners, safeguard educational investments and guarantee uninterrupted access to quality education across the country.
Boriowo Folasade
Director, Press and Public Relations
