The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, who raised alarm, noted that the collective future of Nigeria is under threat.
The United Nations Mission in Nigeria has warned the Federal Government that the attacks by bandits on schools in the country put the future generations under threats.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, who raised alarm, noted that the collective future of Nigeria is under threat.
Edward, who warned the Federal Government on the dangers of attack on schools and abduction of students, condemned the incessant attacks on schools.
Edward made this known in a statement on the 2021 International Day to Protect Education from Attack, commemorated every 9 September.
The statement partly reads, “Attacks on schools are direct attack on the future generation, it is traumatic for the children, undermines their individual dignity, and sometimes leads affected families to withdraw them from education entirely.
“I strongly condemn every form of attack that has kept many children away from schools. I call on the Federal and State Governments to do more to protect schools from attack and to ensure that teaching and learning is safe and conducive in all schools in Nigeria,” he added.
“Whenever teaching and learning is disrupted, the impact on human capital development is enormous as the recovery period is always tortuous and longer than the length of the initial disruption.”
He explained that Nigeria cannot afford to leave the situation of incessant attacks on schools to remain unabated.
“Children are traumatised; parents are scared; teachers and school administrators are afraid; attacks on schools are gradually spreading to areas not known to insurgencies. With education under attack, the collective future of Nigeria is under threat. This must stop now.”
Kallon who explained that too often, the right to education fell under attack, especially in conflict-affected areas, where entire populations could be denied learning, encouraged the Federal Government to review progress made in implementing safe schools under the declaration and fully put into practice commitments made in 2019 by taking decisive action to protect education from attack and give this great nation’s children the chance to fulfill their promise.
“With over 10million children already out of school, conflict has aggravated the situation and deeply affected education and the prospects of many young people, especially its most vulnerable ones. In the last academic year, it is estimated that 1.3 million children have been impacted by attacks or abductions at schools in Nigeria.
“Across the north-east region alone, over 600,000 children remain out of school and some 1.1 million need educational support to stay in school. This has all been compounded by the setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” he added.