The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Niger ministry for basic and secondary education have unveiled a report highlighting the devastating impact of insecurity on education in the state.

The report was unveiled on Wednesday in Minna during a one-day dissemination on the impact of insecurity on access to learning in Niger State.

The study, which adopted a mixed-methods approach, collected primary and secondary data from 20 schools in the Shiroro, Munya, and Rafi local government areas from 2020 to 2025.

According to the findings, 114 schools were shut down due to insecurity, with 29 reopened.

In his remarks, UNICEF education specialist, Vanessa Lee, said that key findings revealed that insecurity had impacted access to quality learning, with various forms of communal conflict and criminal activities affecting the education system in the state.

Ms Lee, represented by Believe Eke, education specialist, UNICEF Abuja, said that the report offers evidence-based insights into the human, social, and economic consequences of ongoing insecurity.

She said that the report emphasised the importance of education in addressing insecurity.

“For the sake of our children, we are calling on the government, community stakeholders, development partners, and private partners to support the implementation of recommendations presented in the report,” she said.

She said that the report revealed that communities had adopted coping strategies to ensure continuity of learning despite adversity and disruption of schooling.

Also, the commissioner for basic and secondary education in the state, Hadiza Mohammed, expressed concern over the impact of insecurity on education in the state.

“Insecurity has posed a serious threat to our education system, from the safety of learners and teachers to the very ability of schools to function effectively,” she said.

Ms Mohammed said the state government was committed to ensuring every child had access to safe, inclusive and quality education.

According to her, out of 45 secondary schools shut due to insecurity, 33 have been reopened, while 12 are yet to be opened.

Ms Mohammed disclosed that the state government had created a stakeholder committee for school safety and education reform across the 25 local governments.

She appreciated UNICEF’s unwavering support for the study and the broader education sector.

Presenting the report, Saviour Kolo, consultant from Oxford, said the key findings showed banditry and kidnapping as the most prevalent forms of insecurity in the state, with over 370 incidents reported between 2020 and 2025.

Mr Kolo said the study revealed that 27 learners and four staff were abducted, while one learner was killed during the period under review.

He said that the study also found that insecurity had a significant impact on students and staff, with 83.7 per cent of students struggling to concentrate due to anxiety over potential security incidents.

“50 per cent of teachers in Rafi and 34.6 per cent in Munya reported that their lessons and examinations are frequently cancelled due to insecurity,” he said.

Mr Kolo said that the study recommended support for livelihood recovery and social protection by tackling the root causes of insecurity through economic development and social welfare for conflict-affected households.

He added that the study’s findings also highlighted the urgent need for decisive, coordinated, and adequately funded interventions to address the impact of insecurity on education.

Mr Kolo also said that the study recommended upgrading infrastructure in schools, setting up an early warning system, training teachers and older students in emergency response, and supporting community-based learning spaces, among others.

(NAN)