A public relations practitioner, Amina Samuel, said on Tuesday in Abuja that protecting schools is critical to safeguarding Nigeria’s human capital and achieving sustainable national development.

She noted that attacks on schools undermined Nigeria’s future workforce and weakened prospects for long-term development.

She called for stronger measures to protect schools, warning that insecurity threatened not just education but also the country’s economic growth and social stability.

Ms Samuel said that the recent abduction of pupils and teachers in Oyo State had renewed concerns about insecurity around educational institutions.

“The issue extends beyond immediate security concerns and affects national development. The classroom is a vital institution where future professionals and leaders are nurtured.

“Schools play a central role in producing doctors, engineers, teachers, entrepreneurs and public servants. Therefore, compromising school safety carries consequences beyond the education sector,” she said.

Ms Samuel noted that nations invested in education because human capital drives sustainable development, adding that infrastructure alone cannot guarantee progress without educated and skilled citizens.

She said attacks on schools should therefore be viewed as attacks on a nation’s future workforce; they threaten future productivity and national competitiveness.

The expert also raised concerns about the impact of insecurity on parents’ confidence in schools. According to her, trust remains one of the most valuable assets in any educational system.

Ms Samuel warned that insecurity was gradually eroding confidence in the education system and called for urgent measures to tackle the menace. She said that parents may become reluctant to send their children to school, adding that declining school attendance could worsen educational outcomes in vulnerable communities.

She also noted that teachers may seek transfers from areas facing persistent security threats.

According to her, fear and insecurity undermine effective teaching and learning. School insecurity also threatens social stability and efforts to reduce poverty.

Ms Samuel called on the government to invest more in prevention, intelligence gathering and school safety infrastructure, while urging all education stakeholders, communities and security agencies to prioritise school protection as a national development issue.

(NAN)