INSURGENCY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ SAFETY IN NIGERIA’S NORTH-EAST REGION

Abstract

An environment where there are incessant terrorist attacks cannot be conducive for effective academic activities and as such, little or no desired learning outcome should be expected in such area. On this premise, the need to create and maintain safe environment for effective teaching and learning becomes paramount. This paper focuses on the Boko-Haram insurgency, its effects on school safety and possible solutions to curtail the menace which affects smooth running of academic activities in the North-East Region of Nigeria. The pervasive effects of insurgency on school safety included: reduction in school attendance, migration of qualified teachers, destruction of school infrastructures, closure of schools and lack of concentration in class. The study recommended that preventive measures for the safety of students in schools included construction of high fence, installation of Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras at strategic locations, intensifying security of the schools and provision of escape routes in case of an invasion.