The Nigerian Army has emerged as one of the distinguished winners of the 2016 NISSA Safe School Award.
The Award is presented by the Nigeria Safe School Association (NISSA) and Safe School Academy International to individuals and institutions in recognition of outstanding contributions to the promotion of safety and security in educational institutions in Nigeria
The Award Committee said that the Award is a symbolic gesture of appreciation from Education Stakeholders in general and NISSA members in particular for the gallantry and sacrifice of officers and men of the Nigerian Army in successful liberation of schools from terrorists in insurgency States of North East zone of Nigeria, re-opening of the schools and ensuring the safety and security of pupils, students and staff. The Award Committee also cited the highly commendable initiative of the Nigerian Army regarding the facilitation, along with other security agencies, of Education Stakeholders Capacity Building Conferences on Safe School Lessons from recent terrorism, kidnapping, cultism, fire and emergencies.
The Nigeria Safe School Association and Safe School Academy International join other Nigerians and well-meaning citizens of the world to pray for the safe rescue of the Chibok school girls. The symbolic gesture of the NISSA Award is to send the message to the military that their efforts are recognized and appreciated. The Award is also to serve as morale booster for the military and security agencies to continue to do everything humanly possible to bring the rescue efforts of Chibok girls to a successful closure.
The Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and the Federal Fire Service are also being honored for their efforts in protecting schools from various emergencies especially kidnapping, cultism and fire incidents. The Award Committee believes that educational institutions would have been in a permanent state of shut down on account of activities of kidnappers and cultists were it not for the work of the NPF and NSCDC. The NPF, NSCDC and FEDFIRE also stands highly commended for participating in facilitating Education Stakeholders Capacity Building Conferences on Safe School Lessons from recent emergencies which started in Abuja in May 2016.
The 2016 NISSA Awards will be presented in Abuja on 27th September 2016 as befitting highlight to the opening ceremony on Safe School Summit on Mainstreaming Lessons from Successful Initiatives Against Campus Cults into School Security Best Practices.
The Summit is aimed at building capacity and structures for mainstreaming new Anti-cult legislative, policy, structural, institutional, administrative, renunciation, orientation, re-orientation, publicity initiatives into safe school best policies, practices, protocols and infrastructure of tertiary institutions; and to prevent spread of cultism to primary and secondary schools as is currently happening.
DAUDA RASHEED
PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
NIGERIA SAFE SCHOOL ASSOCIATION (NISSA)
