Nigerian Government Enhances School Security Through Technology, Says Minister

The Nigerian government has initiated steps to bolster security in schools through the use of technology aimed at creating safer learning environments for students.

During an interview on ARISE Television on Sunday, Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, revealed the government’s strategy to protect students from insecurity.

This effort comes in the wake of two mass abductions of students in November 2025, which heightened concerns regarding their safety. On November 17, armed assailants invaded the Government Girls’ Comprehensive Secondary School in Maga, Kebbi State, abducting 25 students and killing the school's vice principal.

Days later, on November 21, another attack occurred at Saint Mary’s Catholic School in Papiri, Niger State, where more than 200 students were kidnapped. The students were eventually released after several weeks in captivity.

In response to these incidents, various states temporarily closed schools for safety, while the federal government shut down 41 unity schools due to security fears.

Minister Alausa stated that the government has geo-mapped and geo-tagged all schools across the nation to enhance security coordination.

"In the event of any incident, a panic alert will be sent to a local control centre," he explained, adding that collaboration with security agencies is underway to improve response times.

Additionally, Alausa mentioned that the government is enacting reforms to bring sustainable improvements to basic education, highlighting the rehabilitation of nearly 10,000 schools in the previous year.

He defended various federal policies that impact primary and secondary education, asserting that they aim to make education more affordable for parents while enhancing learning outcomes.

Alaus also addressed the issue of nursery school graduation ceremonies, labeling them as exploitative. He argued that such events should be aligned with significant educational milestones instead of being a form of commercialization.

On the topic of textbooks, Alausa indicated that schools are now prohibited from mandating parents to purchase new textbooks each year, deeming it another form of extortion. New regulations require textbooks to be used for at least three years, unless changes to content necessitate an update.

He clarified that history had not been removed from the curriculum but was suspended over a decade ago. The current administration has mandated a comprehensive review, reinstating Nigerian history in schools.

Regarding indigenous language usage, the minister denied that the government had banned them in schools, explaining that the policy restricts mother-tongue instruction to primary education levels, promoting English for standardized exams.

In addressing the high number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, Alausa noted that the government is increasing funding and launching targeted interventions to mitigate the challenge. He highlighted the education sector's substantial budget allocations over the past two years and defended the student loan scheme designed to provide financial support for tertiary education, stating that around 800,000 students are currently benefiting from it.