Community Participation in Schools' Security: A Future Fit Strategy for Solving the Challenges of School Attacks in Northern Nigeria.

Abstract

This study examined community participation in school security as a future fit strategy f or solving the challenges of schools' attacks in Northern Nigeria. Today, education in Northern Nigeria is under attacks. The wave of abductions have devastating consequence for the region, which already has the highest number of children out of education in the country. Some of the key drivers of these attacks are; religious extremism, lack of political will on the part of government, irresponsible parenting, poverty and unemployment among others. The vision of safe schools for the future must involve communities in the protection of educational facilities in their domain. The study identified the following ways in which a community can participates in the protection of schools from attacks. These are; sensitization and mobilization of community members on the danger of irresponsible parenting, establishment of community vigilante to protect schools from attacks, collaboration and partnership with the government security agencies for surveillances, education of members on the activities of Boko H aran which is a pervasion of Islamic ideology, intelligent gathering by host community about schools' attacks among others. The paper suggested that community members must prevail on the government at all levels in the region to develop political will that will end schools' attacks, strengthening the intelligence-gathering capacity of the host community, educate their members on the danger of irresponsible parenting and establishment of community safety and security committee. The study further suggested among others that there should be a concerted community enlightenment programmed that will declare 'Boko Haram' a perversion of religion and not an Islamic ideology.