168 schools have been shut down by the Zamfara State Government over the growing insecurity in the state since 2021.
In a three-minute video uploaded by the Africa Independent Television (AIT) on its X handle on Saturday, Hashim Ahmed, the chairman of Safe Schools Technical team, Zamfara State, expressed his concern over the continuous closure of public schools, fate of children’s education and security of schools across the state
Ahmed emphasised that at least 168 schools have been shut down, urging the security personnel to put in more effort in ensuring the protection of students and teachers across schools in the state.
“What we are saying is that they should do more. It’s not enough because as I speak today, we have 168 schools that are still closed. Some have been tagged red because government have tagged different schools some green, yellow and red,” he said.
“The green schools are already opened, yet they have limited security challenge. They can be opened with caution but red should remain close. Which means the security has a lot of work to do to ensure that these numbers of schools that have been closed are opened and then security can be provided.”
In his statement, Muhammed Dalijan, the Commissioner of Police, Zamfara State, expressed the police’s commitment to ensuring adequate security, adding that the police are ready to work with any responsible group to ensure security in schools and across the state
“The police are highly committed to ensuring security in our schools for our children to be educated. We had those concerns. The police help in policing those schools by fencing the schools and then putting some measures also by maybe recruiting their own school security who will work in synergy with the policemen that will be posted to those places,” he said.
“The work of security cannot be done without synergy.”
From 2011 to 2023, three public schools in Zamfara suffered bandits attacks and abduction of students since inception of banditry as five schools were taken by internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the state.
These schools include Government Girls Day Secondary School Jangebe, Government Day Secondary school, Kanya and Government Girls Comprehensive Secondary School, Moriki, in Talata Marafa and Zurmi Local Government Areas of the state.
The unfortunate development forced the Zamfara State government to close down all primary and secondary schools on September 1, 2021, while some schools were reopened for learning January 17, 2022.
However, other schools that were been tagged red still remained closed till date.
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