Funmi Ogundare
The Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN) will on Wednesday convene training and safety stakeholders in Lagos to discover sustainable measures to defend learners, academics and college amenities amid rising threats to faculty security and disruptions to studying.
The seventh EWAN annual summit, themed ‘Schools Under Threat: From Reactive Responses to Sustainable Protection’, will maintain at The Providence Hotel, Ikeja GRA, Lagos.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, is predicted to ship the keynote tackle, whereas the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, will chair the summit.
The Chairman of the affiliation, Mojeed Alabi, stated defending faculties should transcend emergency responses to assaults to embrace sustained planning, sufficient funding and efficient early-warning mechanisms.
According to him, assaults on faculties have penalties past the fast lack of safety, leaving academics fearful, dad and mom unsure and learners weak to disruptions of their training.
“Each attack on a school affects more than the people caught in it. It leaves teachers afraid, parents uncertain and learners at risk of losing access to education. We chose this theme because protecting schools must be a continuous responsibility, with clear plans, adequate funding and people who know what to do when warning signs emerge,” Alabi acknowledged.
He burdened the necessity for faculties and related authorities to set up efficient safety measures earlier than emergencies happen, fairly than ready for incidents to expose current weaknesses.
“We cannot wait until an incident occurs before asking whether a school has an emergency plan, whether teachers are prepared or whether help can reach those at risk. These questions need answers before an emergency, and the answers must translate into practical protection,” the chairman added.
The summit will function discussions on preventive measures, early-warning programs, emergency response, group engagement and the help required by training employees earlier than, throughout and after safety incidents.
Participants may even study the position of the media in exposing gaps at school safety, sustaining public consideration on security issues and making certain accountable reporting of safety incidents.
Among the panellists anticipated on the summit are the National Coordinator of Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria, Halima Iliya; Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Alli-Balogun; and Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, Motunrayo Alaka.
Others are the National President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Robert Okorie, and the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Audu Titus.
Their discussions are anticipated to bridge the hole between authorities insurance policies and funding commitments and the sensible challenges confronting faculty directors, academics and learners.
The summit, the chairman famous, may even present a possibility to study institutional accountability for college security and the duties of presidency companies, safety personnel, faculty managers and communities in stopping assaults and making certain continuity of training throughout safety emergencies.
“The event is expected to attract policymakers, security personnel, education professionals, researchers, development practitioners and civil society representatives,” the chairman stated.
EWAN is a community {of professional} training correspondents drawn from print, broadcast and digital media organisations throughout Nigeria. Its annual summit supplies a platform for analyzing vital training points and selling knowledgeable public debate.
Previous editions have addressed points together with public examination integrity, fundamental training, faculty security, analysis for nationwide growth, electrical energy provide within the training sector and the rising emphasis on certificates over sensible abilities.
Past keynote audio system have included the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examinations Council, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi; former Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO, Ambassador Michael Omolewa; former Minister of Education, Prof. Chinwe Obaji; and Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi.
