Headmasters in Kano have called on the government to invest in constructing perimeter fences around public schools to ensure safety.

The request comes amid rising incidents of theft, vandalism, and disruption severely affecting the academic environment in public schools.

In recent months, several schools experienced break-ins, with criminals stealing valuable equipment like computers, ceiling fans, and zinc.

The stakeholders made the call on Friday in separate interviews with journalists in some of the schools visited.

They stated that erecting perimeter fences around schools would help prevent trespassing.

Haruna Ibrahim, the headmaster of Chula Central Primary School in Ajingi Local Government Area, pointed out that the lack of fencing had made the school a target for frequent trespassing by residents.

“Trespassers disrupt our classes when they pass through the school during school hours,” Mr Ibrahim said.

He further raised concerns about the inadequate number of security personnel, noting that the school, which serves 1,270 pupils, has 12 teachers with only one security guard.

Murtala Aliyu, the assistant headmaster of Garindau Central Primary School in Warawa Local Government Area, said that although the school was fenced, it still required two more security guards to protect it from theft.

“Just yesterday, thieves entered the school and carted away valuables due to the insufficient number of security guards. We only have one security guard for a school with 1,270 pupils and 12 teachers,” Mr Aliyu said.

Similarly, the headmaster of Dawakin Tofa Model Primary School, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, Sabi’u Idris, stressed that the lack of a perimeter fence had made the school vulnerable to theft.

Mr Idris also lamented the absence of security guards at the school, which, he said, led to the theft of its valuables.

One of the parents in the Chula community of Ajingi Local Government, Amina Shehu, lamented that the incident undermined the learning experience for pupils and students in the area.

She called on the state government to build a perimeter fence and employ additional security guards.

Another parent in Dawakin-Tofa local government, Musa Isa, also decried the destruction of classrooms and school property, leaving students and teachers frustrated and discouraged.

Mr Isa appealed to the state government to provide adequate security to the school.

Governor Abba Kabir-Yusuf declared a state of emergency in the education sector to revitalise and advance education in the state.

(NAN)