WARDC, Stakeholders Push for Passage of Safe School Declaration Bill
The Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and other key stakeholders have called for the urgent passage of the Safe School Declaration (SSD) Bill into law to ensure the protection of students, teachers, and educational institutions across Nigeria. Speaking at a recent advocacy meeting in Abuja, Executive Director of WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, emphasized that the increasing cases of attacks on schools, particularly in conflict-prone areas, demand immediate legislative action to safeguard the right to education. “The Safe School Declaration is not just a document; it is a commitment to protect our children and their future. Without legal backing, efforts to secure schools remain weak and inconsistent,” Akiyode-Afolabi said. She noted that Nigeria had endorsed the international Safe School Declaration in 2015 but stressed that without an enabling law, implementation has been fragmented. WARDC and its partners are urging the National Assembly to fast-track the legislative process to domesticate the SSD and make its principles legally binding. Several civil society organizations, education experts, security agencies, and representatives from the Ministry of Education joined WARDC in advocating for the bill. They highlighted the disturbing trend of mass abductions of students, school closures due to insecurity, and the resulting setbacks in education, especially for girls in the North. Dr. Akiyode-Afolabi also presented findings from a recent WARDC report, revealing that more than 1,500 students have been kidnapped from schools in the past five years, with many incidents occurring in the North-East and North-West regions. “Our children deserve to learn in a safe environment without fear. We must act now to stop this threat from stealing their dreams,” she urged. Stakeholders also called for greater investment in school security infrastructure, training for school personnel on emergency response, community involvement, and collaboration between security agencies and education authorities. Representatives of the National Assembly present at the event assured participants that steps are being taken to ensure the speedy passage of the bill. They pledged to work closely with civil society groups and other stakeholders to strengthen measures that guarantee safe learning environments. The Safe School Declaration, first launched in Oslo, Norway in 2015, is an inter-governmental political commitment to protect education during armed conflict and to ensure schools and universities are safe spaces for all students.