Insecurity: A Bane to Secondary Education in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper takes a cursory look at insecurity as a bane to educational development in Nigeria. Education is the building block that characterizes the development of any nation. A nation without education cannot function effectively and efficiently. This is because education promotes all round development of a learner to become a functional member of society. Insecurity is a social disorder that poses a threat to human existence and organizational activities. In recent times, no place can be qualified to be regarded as school if it does not possess basic security measures that will guarantee safety of lives and properties. Considering the importance of secondary education, it seems that constant attack and destruction of educational buildings and facilities by Herdsmen, Bandits and cult-related activities due to insecurity challenges in Nigeria has crippled the educational system and rendered most classroom teachers and students homeless. With the increase in criminal activities within the school environment, it seems that the rate of attendance is reduced, government at all levels and security agencies seemed helpless and the only option is for government to temporarily close down most schools so that teachers and students may not be further exposed to more dangers. It is against this backdrop that this paper was x-rayed in view of possible strategies that could be adopted to address insecurity challenges in a bid for educational development in secondary schools in Nigeria.The findings of the study among others revealed that available security agencies are inadequate to protect lives and property. It was concluded that inability of the government to carry out its constitutional responsibility led to wanton destruction of lives and properties thereby hindering educational development in Nigeria. It was recommended among others that the Federal Government should show more seriousness in the implementation to the latter the National Safe School Initiative Plan, which seeks to protect schools, so that students can return to learning in a safer, conducive and more secure environment.