The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Basic Education and Services to probe the use of over N2 billion released for the Safe School Initiative.
The call was sequel to a motion moved on the floor of the House on Thursday by Rep. Aniekan Umanah who called for the investigation alongside other donations from foreign Countries and Organizations.
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Presenting the motion, the lawmaker noted that, the Safe School Initiative Programme launched in 2014 was to promote security, the safety of schools, pupils, students and teachers, as well as facilities.
“The activities of the insurgents and bandits have further exacerbated the already low levels of enrolment in education and literacy in the country as 910 schools have been destroyed between 2009 to 2016 while several schools have been forced to shut down due to security concerns in the last six months.
“The unfortunate increase in security crisis in the country with schools as targets witnessed recently has exposed the unimaginable decadence and dilapidation of schools in Nigeria where some students learn under trees, use blocks as desks, the roofs of most classrooms are completely blown off, hostels in pitiable states and most schools are without perimeter fences, etc,” he said.
Rep. Umana said, although an initial $20 million was donated for the takeoff of the Safe School Initiative project in 2014 and as at 2018, N41 Billion was also realized as donations from countries and donor agencies.
According to him, the Programme is to also design and implement the best global standards through the employment of qualified teachers, provision of library and laboratory equipment, conducive teaching and learning environment, as well as provision of habitable classrooms and hostels in the Nigerian educational sector.
