SBMCs, School Hea
By Bashir Hassan Abubakar
School Based Management Committees (SBMCs) and Heads of Primary/Junior Secondary Schools in Bauchi State have commended UNICEF Bauchi Field office for initiating Safe School Initiative across the State.
The commendation came on Wednesday 21st February in Misau, at the end of a 3 day master trainers program on school safety organised by the UNICEF field office Bauchi.
Ahmed Uba, the chairman of SBMC from Hardawa central primary school of Misau LGA said that the design of the school safety initiative, when implemented in schools , will further enhance the security consciousness of both teachers, pupils and students.
The SBMC Chairman said such consciousness amongst stakeholders will improve enrollment and retention in schools.
The head mistress of Mangari Primary School Misau, Hauwa Abdullahi, while sharing her thoughts at the end of the training, said that such initiative will no doubt rebuild confidence among parents, students, techers and the communities.
The headmistress said such confidence is needed among stakeholders especially during periods of security threats that trends to disrupts learning activities.
Hauwa Abdullahi, further said that, not only are schools going to imbibe the safe school culture, she sounded optimistic that even the communities will imbibe such safety initiative.
Addressing the participants at the venue of the training at the premises of Mangari Primary School in Misau, UNICEF Bauchi Chief of Field Office Dr. Tushar Rane said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the capacity of community-based stakeholders to promote safety in school, which would in turn encourage and improve learning outcomes in their communities and Bauchi State at large.
Dr. Rane also expressed his happiness with the enthusiasm demonstrated by the participants and further called on Bauchi State Government to sustain the safe school initiative.
In a goodwill message, the Director of School Services in the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Adamu Hassan Burga thanked UNICEF Bauchi Field Office not only in spearheading the training, but also for its other interventions that is aimed at improving school enrollment, retention and transition.
He said such interventions had created a conducive atmosphere of learning over the years, through system strengthening, teacher training and provision of facilities among others, which has impacted positively in the educational system of Bauchi State.
Highlights of the training was the simulation of stampede as it occurs during crises and how such situations can be handled through effective evacuation methods as captured in the training manuals.
Watch videos on simulation of trainingÂ
Our correspondent reports that, in addition to Bauchi State, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office is also training stakeholders in the field office focused States of Gombe and Adamawa on the safe schools initiative.