PTA condemns attacks on schools

The Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of Nigeria, has called for the urgent deployment of security personnel to all schools in the country to prevent further abduction of students.

Alhaji Haruna Danjuma, National President of the association made the call in an interview with journalists in Kaduna, yesterday. 

He described the attacks on schools by gunmen as a very serious threat to the country’s education sector, which must be dealt with decisively to avert the collapse of the sector.

“We condemn in totality all the activities of bandits, kidnappers and terrorists attacking our schools. We want the government to secure all our schools to avert further kidnapping of our students for ransom.”

He noted that since the kidnapping of Chibok schoolgirls, and subsequent ones in Dapchi, Katsina, Niger and now Kaduna states, the government has done little to secure the schools.

“The students of the college of forestry and mechanization are still in their hands demanding for N500 million to be released. This afternoon, we heard of another bad and shocking news, that gunmen abducted primary school students, including teachers in Birnin-Gwari Local Government of Kaduna State.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government to help us in bringing an end to  the security challenges that are now affecting our educational system.”

Danjuma noted that the attacks on schools would prevent children from going to school if the trend continues.

The PTA national president called for a collective effort by communities and security agencies toward bringing an end to the attacks.

He suggested that states and federal governments should also empower local vigilantes to tackle the menace.

Meanwhile, Hajiya Ramatu Tijjani, head of the Foundation for Protection of Women and Children in Nigeria, also urged the government to provide enough security to secure all schools.

Tijjani advised the government to engage local hunters and vigilantes to complement the efforts of security agencies in restoring stability in troubled areas.

She said the situation has further destabilised the education sector in the North, which currently has the highest number of out-of-school children in the country.