By: Monday Danladi, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Safe School Steering Committee constituted under the Nigeria National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools 2021 has been formally inaugurated.
The Inaugural Meeting was held at the Medical and Health Workers’ Union (MAHWUN) Secretariat, Bauchi and was chaired by the Chairman of the Committee, State Commissioner of Education, Abdulkadir Ibrahim, who stressed the importance of the Committee in ensuring a safer school environment.
At the inauguration, the Chairman, charged members on the Terms of Reference including development and review of school safety policies, guidelines and framework; guiding and monitoring implementation of safe school programmes and interventions and overseeing school risk and vulnerability assessment.
To also establish indicators and reporting frameworks; Review Progress reports and recommend improvements; and Any other duty that may be assigned by the Chairman.
He emphasized that safe school is not about fences alone but about values, community ownership and early warning, and called for synergy among members to ensure no child in Bauchi State is denied education due to fear, violence or insecurity.
Also speaking at the meeting, the Acting State Director, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Bauchi State Directorate, Mallam Adamu Umar Sarkinyara, who is a member of the Committee, congratulated the State Government for domesticating the National Policy and for constituting the Steering Committee at a time when issues of bullying, Sara Suka thuggery around schools, cultism, drug abuse, exam malpractice, SGBV, child marriage leading to drop-out and infiltration of strange persons around schools require urgent attitudinal response.
Adamu Sarkinyara presented the Position Paper of NOA Bauchi titled: “Suggested Roles and Functions of NOA Bauchi in Safe School Steering Committee using Structures, Platforms, Strategies and Coordination Mechanisms including CLHEEAN Interventions Project Technology.”
He said NOA is not a security agency but the bridge between Government and grassroots and is the only Federal Agency with permanent structure from Federal – State – 20 LGAs – 323 Wards – Village – Community – School level.
He unveiled that NOA’s 7-Point Support Plan aligned to Committee’s terms of reference which includes Policy Popularization as NOA will translate National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools into simple Hausa, Fulfulde and Pidgin for SBMCs, PTAs, Students and Traditional Rulers and integrate National Values Charter – 7 for 7.
For terms of reference 2 – Guide and Monitor Implementation, NOA will deploy 20 LGA Community Orientation and Mobilization Officers (COMOs), 323 Ward Development Committees, State WAI Brigade and Vigilantes as Safe School Ambassadors to guide implementation, form CLHEEAN Safe School Clubs in 50 pilot schools and mobilize communities for fencing and community watch.
For Term of Reference 3 – Risk and Vulnerability Assessment, he said that NOA will Conduct community-based perception mapping on social risks – drug joints near schools in Bauchi metropolis, Sara Suka hideouts, cultism, SGBV hotspots, farmer-herder tension, environmental risks – flooding and infrastructural risks through Focus Group Discussions with Emirs, FOMWAN, CAN, PFN, Miyetti Allah, Youth Groups and report to security agencies without exposing source.
For Term of Reference 4 – Indicators and Reporting Framework: there will be deployment of CLHEEAN (Crime, Lawlessness, Health, Education, Environment, Abuse and Nationalism) – where Abuse category covers Narcotics and Drug Abuse as same family of social vice – Technology with SAFE SCHOOL WINDOW for anonymous reporting:
Furthermore, bullying, assault, kidnapping threat, intrusion by Sara Suka,
Cultism, exams malpractice, truancy, vandalism, Drug abuse in school, poor WASH, Teacher absenteeism, dilapidated structure, lack of fence, eFlooding, unsafe route, eSGBV, child marriage forcing girl out, child labour, Narcotics/Drug Abuse in and around school, lDisrespect to Flag and hate speeches will be curtailed.
He said reports via CLHEEAN App will be auto-routed to relevant agencies and dashboard will be available to Chairman for real-time view per LGA.
On Review Progress Reports, NOA will submit Monthly Pulse of the Nation – Safe School Edition Report – What communities say about safety – not just what government does – and conduct quarterly perception survey among 1,000 students, 500 parents on “Do you feel safe in school?” disaggregated by gender and disability, and recommend improvements based on myths.
NOA will serve as Secretariat for Community Engagement Sub-Committee, lead Town Halls in high-risk LGAs – Alkaleri Pali/Gwana, Toro, Ningi, Misau, Katagum – to get written commitment from Emirs – No School Shall Be Attacked in My Domain – coordinate with PCRC Zone 12 for community policing in schools, Judiciary – Family and Child Court, CIGF/FAWOYDI, SUBEB and produce radio programme.
On Value Reorientation, Institutionalize National Values Charter, National Symbols – Flag, Anthem Nigeria We Hail Thee – and campaign “Do The Right Thing: Protect School, Protect Future. No Values, No Safe School.”
At the end of the inaugural meeting, members resolved on adoption of National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence-Free Schools 2021 and its Implementation Guidelines as working document for Bauchi State.
It was also resolved that there should be a constitution of three Sub-Committees: Policy and Guidelines Sub-Committee, Risk Assessment and Implementation Monitoring Sub-Committee, and Community Engagement, Reporting and Feedback to be coordinated by NOA Bauchi.
-There was also approval for immediate risk and vulnerability mapping in 6 pilot LGAs – Bauchi, Toro, Alkaleri, Ningi, Katagum and Jama’are covering senatorial zones and high-risk corridors – to be led by NOA with support from Police, DSS, NSCDC and SUBEB;
Also, there was approval for establishment of CLHEEAN Safe School Window for anonymous reporting as official reporting framework for Bauchi State, to be managed by NOA in collaboration with Ministry of Education and Security agencies;
Another resolution was the scheduling of monthly Steering Committee meeting with the next meeting coming up in the first week of November 2026 – and quarterly stakeholders review with SBMCs, PTAs, NUT, ANCOPSS and Traditional Institutions;
The meeting also mandated NOA Bauchi to produce 1,000 copies of Safe School 10 Commandments in Hausa and English for distribution to 500 schools and to commence jingles production.
The Acting State Director thanked the Chairman and members for the confidence reposed in NOA and pledged that NOA Bauchi under his leadership with permission of DG NOA Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu will deploy its structures in 20 LGAs, 323 Wards, WAI Brigade, CLHEEAN technology and traditional platforms to ensure no school in Bauchi State becomes unsafe due to ignorance, drug abuse or violence.
He said: “Safe School is everybody’s business. Justice must not only be done in school, it must be felt safe. No Values, No Progress. No Values, No Safe School.”
Membership of the Committee was drawn from Ministry of Education, State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), School-Based Management Committees (SBMCs), Parent Teachers Association (PTA, Traditional Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, Development Partners and the National Orientation Agency (NOA) Bauchi State Directorate.
