The 2023 budget features a commitment from the federal government to fund school security.
The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, stated at the safe-school summit held by the Emergency Coordination Center on Thursday in Abuja, “We will ensure we make dedicated budget to assist financing of safety of our schools.”
She mentioned that the federal government would press states to take concrete steps to ensure school safety.
She stated that discussions were held with states, local governments, and other important stakeholders to determine the most transparent, efficient, and accountable methods of resource mobilisation and deployment.
Ahmed further stated that before the third quarter of this year ends, the national finance plan for the security and safety of schools across the nation would be published.
She stated that a committee comprised of representatives from the relevant departments, ministries, and organisations—including the Federal Ministry of Education, the military, and other security agencies—had been established for this purpose by the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget, and National Planning.
“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 in order to create a safe learning environment for teaching, learning and restoring confidence in the education system.”
