Education stakeholders are warning of a deepening crisis as bandit attacks force the closure of schools across multiple Nigerian states, leaving approximately 20,000 students without classrooms.
The Federal Government has shut down 41 Unity Colleges, while state governments in Kwara, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Katsina, Yobe, and Kebbi have indefinitely closed schools following recent abductions in Kebbi and Niger states.
While supporting the closures as a necessary safety precaution, major educational groups expressed concern about long-term consequences. The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) warned that students may be reluctant to return, and the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) highlighted the trauma affecting both students and educators.
“Education cannot thrive where fear reigns,” stated Dr. Niyi Sunmonu, National President of the Congress of University Academics (CONUA). “Security is not an alternative to education; it is its foundation.”
In response to the crisis, the Senate has established an ad-hoc committee to investigate the funding of the Safe School Initiative, a multi-billion naira program launched after the 2014 Chibok abduction.
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