Disu to Address EWAN Summit on Sustainable School Safety

By Atlantic Reports

Inspector-General of Police Tunji Disu is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Seventh Annual Summit of the Education Writers’ Association of Nigeria (EWAN), which will examine how to protect school communities and sustain learning amid security threats.

The summit will take place on October 14 in Lagos under the theme, “Schools Under Threat; From Reactive Responses to Sustainable Protection”.

In a statement issued on Monday, EWAN Chairman Mojeed Alabi said the gathering would bring together policymakers, security experts, education stakeholders and journalists to discuss practical approaches to safeguarding learners, teachers and school facilities.

He said discussions would focus on moving beyond emergency responses towards prevention, adequate funding and coordinated security planning.

“Each attack on a school affects more than the people caught in it. It leaves teachers afraid, parents uncertain and learners at risk of losing access to education,” Alabi said.

He argued that school protection should be a continuous responsibility, supported by clear plans, sufficient resources and personnel trained to recognise warning signs and respond effectively.

“We cannot wait until an incident occurs before asking whether a school has an emergency plan, whether teachers are prepared, or whether help can reach those at risk,” he said.

The summit will cover preparedness, early warning systems, emergency response, community engagement and support for education workers before, during and after security incidents.

Participants will also examine how the media can expose gaps in school protection, sustain public attention and report security incidents responsibly.

According to the organisers, Professor Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Universities Commission and former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Lagos, will chair the event.

Other expected speakers include Halima Iliya, National Coordinator of Financing Safe Schools in Nigeria; Jamiu Alli-Balogun, Lagos State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education; and Motunrayo Alaka, Executive Director of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism.

Robert Okorie, National President of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools, and Audu Titus, National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, are also expected to participate.

Alabi said their contributions would connect government policy and financing with the practical challenges facing school communities, including accountability for safety commitments.

The summit is open to policymakers, security personnel, education professionals, researchers, development practitioners and civil society representatives.

EWAN is a network of education correspondents working across print, broadcast and digital media organisations in Nigeria. Its previous summits have examined examination integrity, basic education, school safety and research for national development.

Atlantic Reports: Voices. People. Facts.