22/11/2025
While the Yobe State Government acted with the intention of protecting students, this circular unfortunately communicates surrender rather than strategic protection. Completely shutting down boarding secondary schools signals that the government is retreating in the face of criminals and terrorists, instead of demonstrating its capacity to confront the threat.
Closing schools may temporarily remove students from danger, but it does not confront the root cause of insecurity, nor does it reassure parents that their children are safe in the long term. In fact, it may embolden criminals, who will interpret the decision as proof that the state can be intimidated into disrupting education at will.
Furthermore, the circular offers no concrete security plan for when schools reopen. The announcement should have outlined steps such as:
• Strengthened collaboration between security forces and school authorities
• Deployment of trained school security personnel
• Community-based intelligence networks
• Installation of perimeter fencing, surveillance, and early-warning systems
• Emergency response strategies for schools
Instead, the message places emphasis on prayers, which, although important culturally and spiritually, cannot serve as a substitute for visible, actionable policy measures.
If Yobe State is to inspire confidence, it must present a firm, proactive stance, showing that education will not be halted by insecurity. Government must protect both students and the continuity of learning, not one at the expense of the other.
We remain committed to voicing our truth at Youth For Better Yobe
