The Federal Ministry of Education says preparations had reached advanced stage to ensure Nigeria successfully hosts the forthcoming International Conference on Safe Schools Declaration (SSD), Mr Sonny Echono, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, has said.
Echono made the disclosure in Abuja, on Wednesday, while hosting a delegation of the Deputy Heads of Mission of Norway, Argentina and Spain, who had visited the ministry to ascertain the country’s level of preparedness for the conference, scheduled to open on Oct. 25.
According to Echono, committees had been set up to handle specific tasks, for a successful hosting of the fourth edition of the event, planned to last for four days with the participation of both local and international stakeholders in the education sector.
The permanent secretary revealed that stakeholders from the Ministries of Defence and Foreign Affairs were also expected to be in attendance.
He added that ideas were expected to be shared at the conference, on how learning environments in schools all over the world would be made safer and more conducive, in addition to issues that include accountability mechanisms, attack on educational facilities, among others.
Echono, who told the delegation that due to COVID-19 observance, the conference would be a virtual event, said that a progress report would be made available to them for their input, while expressing the hope that more countries would key into the SSD at the end of the conference.
Speaking, Mrs Ingrid Skjolaas, the leader of the delegation and Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of Norway, commended the ministry on its level of preparedness for the event, adding that the delegation, having hosted previous editions, was keen on assisting the country in ensuring a successful conference. (NAN)
