Funmi Ogundare 

The Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) will on Wednesday convene education and security stakeholders in Lagos to explore sustainable measures to protect learners, teachers and school facilities amid growing threats to school safety and disruptions to learning.

The seventh EWAN annual summit, themed ‘Schools Under Threat: From Reactive Responses to Sustainable Protection’,  will hold at The Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, is expected to deliver the keynote address, while the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, will chair the summit.

The Chairman of the association, Mojeed Alabi, said protecting schools must go beyond emergency responses to attacks to embrace sustained planning, adequate funding and effective early-warning mechanisms.

According to him, attacks on schools have consequences beyond the immediate loss of security, leaving teachers fearful, parents uncertain and learners vulnerable to disruptions in their education.

“Each attack on a school affects more than the people caught in it. It leaves teachers afraid, parents uncertain and learners at risk of losing access to education. We chose this theme because protecting schools must be a continuous responsibility, with clear plans, adequate funding and people who know what to do when warning signs emerge,” Alabi stated.

He stressed the need for schools and relevant authorities to establish effective protection measures before emergencies occur, rather than waiting for incidents to expose existing weaknesses.

“We cannot wait until an incident occurs before asking whether a school has an emergency plan, whether teachers are prepared or whether help can reach those at risk. These questions need answers before an emergency, and the answers must translate into practical protection,” the chairman added.

The summit will feature discussions on preventive measures, early-warning systems, emergency response, community engagement and the support required by education workers before, during and after security incidents.

Participants will also examine the role of the media in exposing gaps in school protection, sustaining public attention on safety concerns and ensuring responsible reporting of security incidents.

Among the panellists expected at the summit are the National Coordinator of Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, Halima Iliya; Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun; and Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka.

Others are the National President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Robert Okorie, and the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Titus.

Their discussions are expected to bridge the gap between government policies and funding commitments and the practical challenges confronting school administrators, teachers and learners.

The summit, the chairman noted, will also provide an opportunity to examine institutional accountability for school safety and the responsibilities of government agencies, security personnel, school managers and communities in preventing attacks and ensuring continuity of education during security emergencies.

“The event is expected to attract policymakers, security personnel, education professionals, researchers, development practitioners and civil society representatives,” the chairman said.

EWAN is a network of professional education correspondents drawn from print, broadcast and digital media organisations across Nigeria. Its annual summit provides a platform for examining critical education issues and promoting informed public debate.

Previous editions have addressed issues including public examination integrity, basic education, school safety, research for national development, electricity supply in the education sector and the growing emphasis on certificates over practical skills.

Past keynote speakers have included the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi; former Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, Ambassador Michael Omolewa; former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji; and Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.