About 300 officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps have participated in a one-day capacity building programme on ensuring safer schools in the country.

The training, organised by the National Safe School Response Coordination Centre (NSSRCC), for State Coordinators and Desk Officers, had the participants drawn from the North-Central Geopolitical Zone of the country.

This is contained in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, by the Corps Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi.

The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Audi, during the training, reiterated the commitment of the corps to safer schools for students, teachers and host communities in the country.

The training had as its theme: “Ensuring Safer Schools for All.”

Mr Audi said that the training was aimed at improving the capacity of NSSRCC personnel, with a view to achieving the Safe Schools Declaration target of the government.

Represented by the Deputy Commandant General, (DCG) Technical Services, Zakari Ningi, Mr Audi said that his administration was committed to the cause of safer schools for students, teachers and host communities.

He noted that after the vulnerability study of schools conducted by the corps in 2021, the NSCDC had since been committed to ensuring safer learning environments for children, teachers and host communities.

The NSCDC boss urged participants to network and draw knowledge from experts for better service delivery, while applauding the contributions of other stakeholders.

According to him, the stakeholders include the ministries of interior, finance, education and civil society organisations like the Save the Children International.

He said, “These stakeholders were unwavering in their commitment towards achieving the mission of the centre.”

Earlier in his remarks, the NSSRCC Commander, Rabiu Muhammed, noted that in view of new trends in insecurity such as cyber threats, drug abuse, cultism among others, the centre sought opportunities for collaboration, innovation and growth.

“That is why the need to equip our personnel on latest innovations and technologies in the security field is paramount, “he said.

Mr Muhammed explained that experts had been carefully selected in various areas, to impact new insights on the participants to better confront the various challenges facing the safety of schools all over the federation.

He disclosed that other phases of the training would take place in the other geopolitical zones before the end of the first half of the year.

Also speaking, the National Coordinator, Financing Safe Schools, Halima Ibrahim, extolled the efforts of the commandant general and other stakeholders.

Mr Ibrahim lauded their unique roles and unwavering commitment despite challenges of funding and budgetary allocation to the centre established in 2023.

He encouraged the participants to actively participate and share knowledge, domesticate and also cascade the knowledge to the grassroots.

Three hundred participants were drawn from Benue, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger, Plateau states and the Federal Capital Territory.

(NAN)