The Steering Committee of the Safe Schools Initiative has started mapping out short, medium and long term strategies for making schools safer, especially in the country’s troubled North-East region.

The committee, which was inaugurated last week by President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday held its inaugural meeting at the Conference Room of the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja with all members restating their commitment to take all necessary actions to restore safety to schools.

At the meeting, the committee was briefed by representatives of the emergency states led by Governor of Borno State Alhaji Kashim Shettima, on the current state of education following the insurgency.

Borno State, the hardest hit by the activities of Boko Haram, reported that 900 schools have been destroyed and 176 teachers killed from 2011 to date. Further briefing is expected from Yobe and Adamawa representatives.

Security and counter-terrorism experts from donor agencies formally presented a road-map for School Safety.

Several options being discussed by the committee for immediate implementation include virtual, temporary and mobile schools; school at home, in a box, container and tents as well as longer term strategies for rebuilding schools.

The committee underscored the need to work with parents, the community and other stakeholders in designing sustainable safe schools solution

A Technical Committee was set up to work out the details and modalities for implementing key decisions. It had its first meeting yesterday immediately after the steering committee dispersed

The Technical committee has as its Chairman the Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Alhaji Sani Sidi. Members are commissioners of education in the three emergency states; representatives of the National Security Adviser, World Bank, AFDB, UNICEF, DFID, office of the Minister of Finance and security experts from donor agencies.

The Steering Committee’s inaugural meeting was attended by Co-chair of the Safe Schools Initiative, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala; Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike; Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima; Secretary to the State Government of Adamawa State, Prof. A. L Tukur; Mr. Aliko Dangote; Chairman of THISDAY Newspaper Group, Mr. Nduka Obaigbena; DG NEMA, Alhaji Sani Sidi; representative of the National Security Adviser, Prof. Soji; representative of the National Council of Women’s Societies, Mrs. Edna Azura.

•Photo shows Co-chair of the Safe Schools Initiative, Okonjo-Iweala.

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