By Odinaka Anudu & Okechukwu Nnodim, Punch Newspaper
The Federal Government has promised to include the security of schools in the 2023 budget.
Speaking at the safe-school summit organized by the Emergency Coordination Center in Abuja, the Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said, “In the 2023 budget, we will make sure we make a specific budget to support the financing of the safety of our schools.”
She noted that the Federal Government would also be encouraging States to make specific commitments to the safety of schools.
She noted that consultations were underway with States, local governments, and critical stakeholders to identify the most transparent, effective, and accountable ways of mobilizing and deploying resources.
Ahmed also disclosed that the national financing plan for the security and safety of schools across the country would be unveiled before the end of the third quarter of this year.
She said the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning had established a Committee with members drawn from the relevant ministries, departments, and agencies, including the Federal Ministry of Education, the military, and other security agencies, for this purpose.
“The Committee has been working assiduously to collate inputs from relevant MDAs and to develop a national plan for financing safe schools,” she added, “The plan will incorporate State level plans as well as Federal Government sectoral plans with an emphasis on ensuring adequate budgetary allocation to create a safe learning environment for teaching, learning and restoring confidence in the education system.
“Consultations are currently on the way with States, Local Governments, and other critical agencies of government. The committee is also working to identify the most transparent, effective, and accountable ways of mobilizing and deploying resources.”