The Ogun State Government has inaugurated a multi-sectoral Safe Schools Steering Committee as part of efforts to strengthen security across schools and create a safer environment for teaching and learning in the state.
The committee, inaugurated in Abeokuta by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Abayomi Arigbabu, is expected to coordinate policies and strategies aimed at addressing emerging security concerns affecting educational institutions.
Speaking during the inauguration, Arigbabu described the initiative as a strategic response to growing safety challenges within the education sector, stressing the need for collaboration among stakeholders to protect learners and school communities.
According to him, members of the steering committee were carefully selected based on their expertise, professional experience, and institutional responsibilities.
“The inauguration of the Ogun State Safe Schools Steering Committee is therefore a strategic response aimed at strengthening collaboration among government and security agencies, communities, development partners, and all stakeholders in the education sector,” the commissioner said.
He explained that the committee would provide leadership in developing and implementing programmes and policies designed to improve school safety and emergency preparedness across the state.
Arigbabu noted that the assignment before the committee was both urgent and critical, warning that the future of children in the state depended largely on the quality of decisions and actions taken to secure schools.
“As members of this committee, your selection was based on expertise, experience, and institutional responsibilities. This task is both important and urgent. The future of our children depends on the effectiveness of the decisions and actions we take today,” he said.
The commissioner charged members of the committee to discharge their responsibilities with professionalism, integrity, and commitment to ensure that schools remain secure and conducive for learning.
“I therefore charge you to approach this assignment with dedication, professionalism, integrity, and a strong sense of purpose. Let us work together to ensure that every school in Ogun State remains a place of safety, learning, hope, and opportunity,” he added.
Other speakers at the inauguration stressed that ensuring safety in schools should not be left to the government alone, urging communities, parents, security agencies, and development partners to play active roles in safeguarding educational institutions.
They maintained that collective vigilance, innovation, and cooperation were essential to creating a secure atmosphere for learners and teachers across the state.
One of the speakers noted that the decisions and commitments made by the committee would have far-reaching implications for the future of thousands of students in Ogun State.
“As we inaugurate this committee today, let us recognise that school safety is not the responsibility of government alone. It is a shared responsibility requiring partnership, vigilance, innovation, and collective action,” the speaker said.
The establishment of the steering committee is expected to strengthen coordination among relevant stakeholders while improving preparedness and response mechanisms in schools across the state.
