Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu has promised adequate support for the security of lives and property of students of Federal Unity Colleges and other schools in the country.

Adamu gave the promised in Abuja at the inauguration of the Central Planning Committee on Security Education and Awareness Campaign for Principals and Teachers of Federal Government Colleges.

Adamu said over the past decade, Nigeria had grown more insecure, largely due to ethno-religious crisis and Boko Haram insurgency in the north, cultism and ritual killings in the south, saying it was worrisome as the educational institutions had become targets of insurgents.

“School security is vital to effective teaching and learning. Presently, the safety of the school child is of primary concern to stakeholders in the education sector.

“In different parts of the country, the country, communal and ethnic crisis erupted and hindered the smooth functioning of schools.”

Adamu said insecurity in schools was not a problem unique to Nigeria alone, saying the difference was on how to effectively manage the threats.

He, however, called for partnership from stakeholders to curb the rising security challenges in schools, saying the ministry had also approved the proposal of Security Awareness and Justice Foundation, an NGO, to organise a training programme for principals and teachers on how to deal with security challenges in schools.

Adamu said a committee with membership from departments responsible for management of unity schools and the NGO was set up to look for ways to address the security challenges in schools.

Former Inspector General of Police and the chairman of the committee, Mike Okiro, said the teenagers had been the most affected in the recurring violence and crisis in the country.

He said proper security awareness by principals and teachers would help to combat most of the problems in the schools.

Okiro, however, said the principals and teachers would be required to go back to their various schools to impact the knowledge they have acquired.