Aiming to create a safe and enabling environment across Nigeria’s educational institutions, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has hosted a public hearing on the imperative for a legal framework and Resource Plan on Safe Schools Implementation in Lagos State.

The event brought together key stakeholders aimed at establishing a legal framework to legalise the Safe Schools Declaration (SSD) across Nigeria. The Safe Schools Declaration establishes a learning environment where all students have the right to quality education without fear of violence or attack and are given adequate opportunity to fulfill their potential.

Nigeria became one of the first nations to adopt the SSD in May 2015, but lack of comprehensive legislation has hindered these policies from yielding the expected results.

Founding Director, WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi believes that the demand for structured legislature for the smooth running of the SSD policies is much needed, as it is an investment into the overall wellbeing of students nationwide and by extension into the nation’s future.

“Attack on schools is not only about insurgents. The discussion on safe and secure learning environments for our students is about safety an security. The safety is not only about having an environment that is peaceful but having an environment that is healthy,” said Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi.

She stated that the nation’s educational institutions had faced multiple attacks throughout the years, adding that it is overdue for the federal and state governments to take swift action.

“Safe and Secure learning is a very broad concept, and it is taken not only as a Nigerian experience but from a global perspective. There’s no school in Nigeria that is safe. As we speak today, anyone can walk into any school, and you wouldn’t even know. We have seen a lot as a country, and so requesting a legal framework is the smallest thing that any government should be able to do,” she added.

Director of Operations, WARDC Lagos Office, Peluola George, noted that the organisation would continue to advocate for prompt implementation of policies that positively transform Nigeria’s educational system, and set up students for success, ensuring a brighter future for the country: “We are advocates, and events like these are geared at making our voices heard, to put a legal framework in place for the smooth running of these policies. Everyone wants peace, everyone wants security and a violence free environment.

She noted that Nigeria had endured a devastating record of attacks on institutions of learning through the years, and the ball remained in the court of key stakeholders to take action and reduce the staggering number of out of school children across the country.

“With some of the issues surrounding our schools, our history and experience around them has been very bad. It is the responsibility of stakeholders to make sure that we put our environment in peace to enable people thrive. These issues will only continually be a setback, and we need to look at ways to move forward on this situation. The onus is now on the government to do the needful.”