A school safety initiative developed more than a decade ago by former Inspector-General of Police, Mike Okiro, is attracting renewed interest following increasing attacks on schools and abduction of pupils across the country.

The initiative, originally introduced in 2012 as “Securing Our Children” and later renamed the “Save Our Children Project,” was designed as a preventive framework aimed at protecting schoolchildren through security awareness education and institutional safeguards.

Conceived during a period marked by rising terrorism, militancy, banditry and attacks on educational institutions, the project sought to tackle insecurity by equipping students, teachers and school administrators with practical knowledge on personal safety, security awareness and emergency response.

Okiro, who was instrumental in the disarmament of Niger Delta militants during the administration of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, had argued that many casualties resulting from violent attacks could be prevented through continuous security education and effective early-warning systems.

Under the proposal, teachers and school principals nationwide were expected to undergo specialised security awareness training and subsequently transfer the knowledge to pupils through a structured train-the-trainer programme.

The initiative also advocated the creation of dedicated school security units responsible for safeguarding educational institutions, deterring attacks and ensuring rapid emergency response.

According to project documents, the programme was designed to educate young people on security awareness and personal safety, reduce casualties arising from ignorance during security incidents, promote vigilance, encourage patriotism and civic responsibility, and establish a nationwide network of security-conscious youths capable of providing early-warning information.

Recognising the educational significance of the programme, Okiro, through the Security Awareness and Justice Foundation, submitted a proposal to the Federal Ministry of Education in September 2012 seeking official endorsement and partnership.

Although the proposal was widely regarded as innovative and timely, its implementation was slowed by bureaucratic processes and administrative delays.

A significant breakthrough came in 2018 when the Federal Ministry of Education formally endorsed the initiative during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The project was designed to begin in the country’s 103 Federal Unity Colleges before being expanded nationwide. However, despite receiving ministerial approval and the establishment of a working committee, implementation failed to advance significantly due to funding limitations and administrative challenges.

Recent attacks and kidnappings involving schoolchildren have once again brought the initiative into public discourse.

Security analysts and education stakeholders observe that many of the concerns highlighted by Okiro in 2012 remain unresolved, while incidents of kidnapping and violence targeting schools have expanded to areas previously considered relatively secure.

The renewed focus on school safety has also been reinforced by recent directives from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who has ordered security agencies to strengthen protection around schools and improve the implementation of school safety measures nationwide.

Experts believe that the Save Our Children Project provides a ready-made framework capable of complementing ongoing efforts to secure educational institutions and protect millions of Nigerian children.

With insecurity continuing to threaten access to education across the country, many stakeholders argue that the time has come for authorities to revisit and implement the blueprint developed by Okiro more than a decade ago, saying it anticipated many of the challenges confronting the nation’s schools today. (The Nation)