The Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has called for collaboration between parents and school authorities to tackle the alarming trend of students bringing weapons to school.

Describing the development as worrying, the Minister stressed the urgent need for a solution to make schools safe.

The minister made the call during the swearing-in ceremony of new board members for the National Schools Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) on Thursday, July 3.

He emphasised that teachers must also be empowered to take decisive action against students found carrying weapons or engaging in misconduct.
“We need to work with parents so that, while students are in school, teachers are properly vetted and given the authority to moderate students’ behaviour and conduct as expected. We expect parents to cooperate with school management and heads to ensure and promote discipline.”

The Minister also reaffirmed the ban on mobile phones in examination halls and hinted at a possible policy review on phone usage by invigilators and supervisors, noting that some may be complicit in examination malpractice

“We need to enforce a ban on the use of phones, let alone talking about students having access to a phone in an examination room, it is a no-no. Probably, we have to review examiners’ and supervisors’ use of phones, because in some instances, it may be some of them who are aiding the cheating, and therefore, we have to limit who can carry a phone in an examination room,” he said.