Nasarawa State Government would soon provide security in more than 400 public schools to protect students, teachers and facilities from hoodlums, the state’s Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Tijjani Ahmed, said.

Ahmed made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Tuesday.

According to him, the government is taking proactive measures to safeguard schools in view of rising rate of kidnapping going on in other states of the federation.

He said conventional security agencies would complement the efforts of members of Nasarawa State Youths Employment Scheme (NAYAS) that would be deployed to public primary and secondary schools.

He added that “NAYAS officials would be deployed to over 400 public secondary schools and primary schools in the state.

“The state government believes that the combined efforts of security provided by Parent Teachers Association, the conventional security agencies and NAYAS should be able to properly secure our schools.”

Ahmed disclosed that the state Governor, Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura, had already approved the erection of parameter fencing in all public schools.

He further said that more than 3,000 chairs would be distributed to public schools apart from 7,000 mattresses and 3,500 beds worth N222 million that would go to 28 boarding schools in the state.

The commissioner added that the government would soon distribute registers, scheme of work, dossiers, and other instructional materials to schools.

He explained that government had evolved machinery to ensure effective supervision of teachers and school heads to ensure high standard in the education sector, attributing the failing standard of education in the state to the lack of supervision.

He said “all area offices are directed to go round schools unannounced to put everybody on his or her toes.

“Defaulting staff members would be duly sanctioned in line with civil service rules.” (NAN)