The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman has charged Principals of Federal Unity Colleges (FUCs) across the country to protect their schools and students from any form of attacks or banditry.
This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Monday by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Ben Goong.
Goong quoted the Minister to have said this during a meeting with Principals of the 112 Unity Colleges in continuation of briefings from Departments and Chief Executives under the supervision of the ministry.
Mamman described the unity colleges as national treasures which must be protected at all cost.
He also charged the principals to be vigilant over security issues, adding that early security warnings must not be taken for granted.
Also, the Minister of State for Education, Dr Yusuf Sununu, while commending the principals for their patriotism and commitment to the service of the nation, charged them to be watchful and take extra measures to protect their respective schools.
Sununu directed them to liaise with traditional rulers, religious leaders, parents and all security agencies to create the necessary synergy that would guarantee the security of all their schools.
Responding, the Chairperson of the Association of Principals of Nigerian Unity Colleges and the Principal of the Federal Science and Technical College, Ilesa, Dr Idowu Akinbamijo assured the ministers that they would do everything humanly possible to ensure that the children under their care were fully protected.
Akinbamijo added that as parents, the security of their children was of utmost priority.
The principal appealed to the ministers to prioritise the construction of houses in the rural unity colleges as an incentive to attract and retain teachers there.
She also requested that provision should be made for posting entitlements of teachers before their postings were effected in order to reduce the pains associated with relocation of teachers and their families.