Insecurity: Zamfara Gov’t Announces Reopening Of 45 Schools

Zamfara State government led by Governor Bello Matawalle has announced the reopening of forty-five schools in the state.

Naija News understands that no fewer than seventy-five schools were shut down in Zamfara following incessant attacks by bandit terrorists and kidnappers in the state months ago. However, the State Ministry of Education announced on Wednesday in Gusau, the state capital that some schools are now safe to resume classes following the reduction in the frequency of disturbing attacks. Making the announcement, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Alhaji Kabiru Attahiru, who received members of the state’s Technical Team on Education in Emergencies today during their advocacy visit to the ministry, said the school reopening is classed into three categories. The statement reads: “While reopening the schools, we categorised them into three groups – Green, Yellow and Red. “Green were schools located in areas without security threats, the Yellow group is for schools located in areas with little threat of insecurity, while the Red ones were schools in those areas with high-security risks.’ Attahiru explained that all 75 schools fell into the Red group at the time of their closure as it was dangerous to allow them to remain open. Today, however, he said: “I am happy to inform you that as a result of improvement of security in the state, we reopened 45 out of the 75 schools, while only 30 of the schools remained shut. “Government and security agencies have been working together to ensure improved security in the state. “We are hoping for more improvement in security in the state so that we can reopen the remaining 30 schools.” The permanent secretary commended the EiE team for the visit . He assured of the ministry’s commitment to continue to partner with all stakeholders to promote the education sector in the state. “This is a welcome development. I consider this team as partner in progress. I am giving you assurance of total support and cooperation of the ministry,’’ he added. On her part earlier, the team leader, Hajiya Sa’adatu Abdu-Gusau, said that the visit was to advocate for the establishment of an Education in Emergencies Working Group in the state. Abdu-Gusau who is the Director, Planning Research and Statistics in the ministry, said the advocacy visit was also part of activities to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child. In his separate remarks, the team’s deputy leader, Dr Ahmad Hashim, said the EiE team was formed by the Development Research and Project Centre. “The DRPC is an NGO based in Kano working on girls’ education, public health and livelihoods, among others,’’ Hashim said. The government official admonished the ministry to give necessary support and cooperation to ensure that the objectives of the EiEWG were achieved. This according to him could be achieved by implementing the national policy on safety, security and violence-free schools and safe school activities in Zamfara. Naija News recalls that the total shutdown of schools in Zamfara State was announced in September 2021 following the abduction of students of Government Day Secondary School, Kaya, in the Maradun Local Government Area of the state.

This article was originally published on Naija News