Senate Summons ministers over $30m safe school initiative collapse
The Senate on Wednesday intensified its investigation into the failure of the Safe School Initiative, summoning Finance Minister Wale Edun, Education Minister Tunji Alausa, and Defence Minister Lt-Gen Christopher Musa (retd.) to clarify why the $30 million program was unable to protect schoolchildren from ongoing assaults.
The invitations were extended by the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on the Safe School Initiative, led by Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, following the committee's adoption of its work plan during its first meeting.
Edun and the other officials are anticipated to appear before the committee the following Tuesday.
Initiated in 2014 amid the surge of Boko Haram attacks on educational institutions, the Safe School Initiative aimed to enhance security and safeguard learning environments across the country.
However, more than ten years later—and despite the allocation of millions of dollars and billions of naira—schools nationwide still face vulnerabilities, with incidents of kidnapping escalating.
Speaking to reporters after the committee’s formation, Kalu expressed that the Senate is dedicated to identifying the reasons for the initiative's failure, despite considerable domestic and international backing.
“It is intolerable that our educational institutions remain easy targets for terrorists and kidnappers,” he remarked.
He assured that the committee would rigorously follow the financial trail, ensuring no leniency.
“We will trace every naira and every dollar allocated to the Safe School Initiative, including the $30 million mobilized from 2014 to 2021, in addition to the recent N144 billion provided for the initiative by the federal government.
“Nigerians have the right to understand why, despite immense investment and global assistance, our schools are still unsafe.
“The committee will carry out a thorough financial and operational audit, collaborating with federal ministries, state governments, security agencies, and civil society organizations,” he stated.
Kalu stressed that the investigation is not intended to target individuals unfairly but aims to reinforce accountability and restore public confidence.
He mentioned that the committee “has an obligation to Nigerian parents to ensure their children can pursue education without fear.”
The committee, he reiterated, “has a duty to guarantee that children can engage in education without fear.”
The Senate will also evaluate the utilization of Safe School Initiative funds since 2014, review the assignment of security personnel, analyze early-warning and emergency-response mechanisms, assess infrastructure upgrades in vulnerable schools, and examine collaborations with international donors and private-sector contributors.
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