Two years after bandits attack, Niger to reopen 11 schools

The Niger State Government has concluded plans to reopen 11 public schools where pupils were kidnapped in 2021.

The schools were among 42 schools shut in the state in 2021 following frequent banditry attacks and kidnapping of pupils. They are expected to be reopened in the next academic year.

The high point of the attack was the kidnap of 99 girls from Salihu Tanko Islamiyya School Tegina in Rafi Local Government Area where the pupils, all girls, spent close to 88 days in the kidnappers’ den

According to a reliable source close to the state’s Ministry of Education, the ministry is closely watching the security situation as it affects the communities where the remaining 31 schools are located.

Some of the schools to be reopened are located in Gurara, Wushishi, and Lavun, local government areas of the state.

The Commissioner, Hajia Hadiza Mohammed, on Wednesday, said the decision to reopen the schools followed improvement in the security situations in the affected areas.

This was contained in a statement by the spokesman of the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Jibrin Kodo.

Mohammed said the decision to reopen the schools had been conveyed to major stakeholders in the education sector including officials of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, those of the Parents Teachers Association, Heads of Schools as well as officials of the ANCOPSS.

According to her, as part of the preparation for the reopening of the schools, an online data capturing of all teachers will commence soon.

Mohammed said that “indexing of students” would now be initiated right from the Early Child Education class to the Senior Secondary School class and that Early Child Care Department Education has been made compulsory as no child will be admitted into primary class without undergoing ECCDE.

She explained that the ministry has concluded plans to establish Quality Assurance Offices in all 25 local government areas in the state and also provide them with adequate teaching and learning materials.

“There will be sanctions for principals who indulge in the collection of unnecessary fees from students,” the statement quoted her as saying.