The Tutor-General and Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Education District III, Barrister (Mrs) Margaret Solarin, on Wednesday, September 6, 2017, held a one day security seminar for all the school principals under the district, cutting across Epe, Eti-Osa, Ibeju-Lekki and Lagos Island.
In her keynote address during the seminar, which was held at Epe Grammar School, she pointed out that Educationists are now in a rapidly changing world and it was important for all of them to keep abreast of the changes by constantly improving their ability to effectively deal with modern trends.
According to her, the challenges the present school administrators face are quite different from what their predecessors experienced while in office. She said although, there were similarities, the modules operandi was not the same. The mode of kidnapping now is bizarre and the means of checkmating it requires modern methods.
The Tutor-General said that the seminar was aimed at improving the administrative capacity of Principals in order to update their knowledge about trending issues in schools. While commending Ambode and his Deputy, Dr. Adebule, she said it was obvious that they placed education in the front burner. She disclosed that teachers’ salaries are paid promptly and schools are equipped with modern amenities while new ones are being established. The T.G assured that they would do their own part.
ACP Disu, Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Commander, in a speech entitled, “Securing Schools in the Face of Security Challenges in the Country”, urged the School Principals to establish a cordial relationship with the Police and provide them with useful information. He told the School Principals from the four educational zones of the districts to go back to their host communities and establish a cordial relationship with the stakeholders of those communities including, monarchs, village heads, local vigilante groups, religious leaders, among others.
The police boss also suggested that emergency alarm should be provided in schools to alert students of danger or emergency. He urged the School Principals to take the issue of security seriously and to find out which Police Station is in charge of their schools to have a rapport with the DPO.
Disu also told them to get the DPO’s phone number and call it whenever there is any suspicious movement or emergency in the schools, and to retain numbers 112 and 767 on their phones. He instructed them to know the background of their school security guards and other staff of the school because they may collude with kidnappers for monetary gains.
In his words, “You must maintain a simple life style; have correct date base of all students; talk to your staff and educate them as well as know students’ parents. There must be an assembly point for students in case of emergencies.” Continuing, he stated, “Teachers or Principals should not be the first to run out during any emergency. Show good leadership skill by being confident and brave without causing more trouble.”
The Coordinator, Crisis Management Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Okechukwu Ezenna, in his speech, pointed out that students are great assets, which all stakeholders in the education sector must strive to protect. He said students’ environments should be well illuminated at night and guards must patrol 24 hours, especially in a boarding school. Among other things, he said Principals must have security mindsets and good fencing system in their schools. They should always be cautious about their daily engagement with people, both within and outside the schools.
Delivering her own paper, Mrs. Ajibike Makanjuola, a human rights activist, urged all teachers, Principals and students to maintain responsible and disciplined lifestyle to reduce sexual harassment in schools. She canvassed for anti-sexual harassment policy, which would state the punishment and rewards for both students and their teachers.
Other presentations of the day included, “Pivotal Role of Guidance and Counselling in the Management of Schools”; “Improving Administrative Capacity of School Principals”; “Exploiting Civil Service Rules for Improved Management of Schools”; “Accounting Training for Accounting Officers”, and “Relationship between Schools and the Parents’ Forum”. Questions and answers were part of the features.
Dignitaries that attended the occasion included, Director, Schools Administration, Dr. Raji M.A.A; Director, Education, Mr. Sanusi Kama; Director, Special Duties, Mr. Dele Obaba; Head, Account Department, Mr. Adekoya Olayinka; Chairman, ANCOPSS President, Lagos State, Mr. Philips Albert Babatunde, and NUT Representative, among others.