No qualms about security of students says the Ebonyi State Government as primary and secondary schools resume on May 24.

The pupils/students were resuming for the third term 2020/2021 academic session.

The state Commissioner for Education, Dr Onyebuchi Chima, on Sunday in Abakaliki told reporters that the state’s school environment has been made conducive for safe teaching and learning.

Mr Chima said the state government was committed to protecting the lives of the school children during and after school periods.

“Let me make it clear that Ebonyi State remains a safe place for school children, even as we open school tomorrow, Monday, May 24.

“We have not had any record of kidnapping in our schools and we will not have it in Jesus’ name.

“On building of perimeter fences across schools in the state, I have made it clear that even in developed world, they don’t put children in fences, in order to secure them because they are not animals.

“You don’t need to put them in fences in order to provide security for them.

“The society is responsible for providing security for the children by instilling value in them and this is exactly what we are doing in Ebonyi State.

“Training of children is a valuable exercise and we are committed to giving all our children care and protection.

“The best way of providing security for our children is by giving them good orientation, especially when they are young. Let them be of good behaviour and be more aware and conscious of security

“Society should always help by giving out useful information about insecurity; that is, when we see or hear, tell and support the fight against criminality; I believe the ‘see and inform’ mechanism will help more,” he said.

Ebonyi has endured spate of attacks on public officers and institutions by unknown gunmen in the past weeks. Police stations and electoral commission’s (INEC) offices are some of the attacked public departments.

The commissioner, however, urged the youth involved in causing trouble to steer clear of any activity that would endanger the lives of the school children. 

(NAN)