The Senate has commended the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, for his commitment to transparency, accountability and respect for parliamentary oversight, as the Federal Government intensified reforms to strengthen the Safe Schools Initiative across the country.
The commendation came during an interactive session of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe Schools Initiative, convened to review the implementation of the programme, including the utilisation of appropriated funds, international grants and other external support.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, described Alausa as a public servant who has consistently demonstrated respect for constitutional institutions by honouring invitations from the National Assembly and engaging constructively with lawmakers in the discharge of their oversight responsibilities.
Kalu also lauded the minister’s ongoing reforms in the education sector, describing them as bold initiatives that are strengthening Nigeria’s education system and contributing to national development.
He reaffirmed the Committee’s commitment to supporting efforts aimed at improving the safety of schools, teachers and learners across the country.
Responding, Alausa explained that the funds under review, including international grants, foreign donations and appropriated funds, were disbursed several years before his appointment as Minister of Education.
He noted that the Safe Schools Financing Unit
responsible for administering the funds was at the time domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The minister, however, stressed that the Federal Government remained committed to transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
He said: “Government is a continuum. We have a responsibility to account to Nigerians for how public resources have been managed, and we will continue to cooperate fully with the distinguished Senate in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities.”
Alausa disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Education has established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes nationwide.
According to him, the new department replaces the former unit with a stronger institutional structure that reflects the ministry’s constitutional responsibility for education policy, implementation and monitoring.
He explained that the ministry now coordinates the Safe Schools Initiative through a unified national framework designed to strengthen implementation, improve accountability and enhance monitoring of interventions across the country’s 774 local government areas.
The minister added that the ministry is working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Armed Forces of Nigeria, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other relevant agencies to develop and implement a comprehensive national framework for safer schools.
“School safety cannot be handled in a fragmented manner. The Safe Schools Initiative has many interconnected components that require a coordinated national approach.
“While our security agencies will continue to perform their constitutional responsibilities, the Federal Ministry of Education will provide policy direction, coordinate implementation with states and ensure that every school benefits from the programme.”
He explained that the renewed Safe Schools Initiative goes beyond physical security to include perimeter fencing, solar-powered lighting, water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, surveillance technology, trained security personnel, technology-driven early warning systems, effective monitoring mechanisms and stronger collaboration among the Federal Government, state governments, local communities and security agencies to create safer and more conducive learning environments.
According to the minister, the establishment of the dedicated department reflects the commitment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration to ensuring that every Nigerian child, from foundational to tertiary education, has access to a safe, secure and conducive learning environment.
Alausa thanked the Senate Ad-hoc Committee for its constructive engagement and reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to working with the National Assembly, security agencies, state governments and other stakeholders to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and deliver sustainable solutions that safeguard schools and enhance learning outcomes nationwide.
He assured Nigerians that the ministry would continue to provide the leadership, policy direction and strategic partnerships required to build a safer and more resilient education system where every child can learn without fear.