A school should be a place where children learn, dream and prepare for the future. Yet for many children in Nigeria, the journey to school has increasingly become a journey into uncertainty.
On September 9, the world marks the International Day to Protect Education from Attack. The occasion is particularly significant for Nigeria, where attacks on schools, kidnappings, insecurity and prolonged school closures have disrupted the education of thousands of children.
My recent research with colleagues on school attacks and school closures in Nigeria found that the consequences extend far beyond the classroom. Such attacks disrupt learning, increase the risk of children remaining out of school, create psychosocial trauma, widen educational inequalities and contribute to long-term losses in human capital (Edinoh, Asemota & Ifeobu-Emeanu, 2026).
This is why protecting a school is about much more than protecting a building.
When children are afraid to attend school, parents may keep them at home. When teachers fear for their lives, they may leave affected communities. When schools close for prolonged periods, children lose valuable instructional time and may struggle to return to education. The psychological effects can also persist long after an attack, affecting children’s sense of safety, well-being and ability to learn.
The response must therefore go beyond security after an attack.
First, communities must become active partners in school protection. Parents, traditional leaders, teachers, community organisations and security agencies should work together to identify risks and establish early-warning mechanisms.
Second, governments must properly implement safe-school policies. My recent research on Nigeria’s Safe Schools Programme indicates that adequate funding, security infrastructure, personnel training and community participation are important to creating safer learning environments, Edinoh, Odili & Asemota (2026),
Third, peace education must become part of the solution. Schools can teach children dialogue, empathy, tolerance, critical thinking and responsible citizenship. These are not merely classroom values; they are skills that can help young people contribute to peaceful communities Wali-Essien, Chukwuemeka & Edinoh (2025).
Protecting education is ultimately about protecting the future. A child who loses a classroom today may lose an opportunity to become tomorrow’s teacher, doctor, engineer, entrepreneur or leader.
On this International Day to Protect Education from Attack, we should remember a simple truth: education is not merely a service to be protected. It is one of the strongest foundations of peace. You cannot bomb an idea. But you can protect the places where ideas grow.
References
Edinoh, K., Asemota, R. & Ifeobu-Emeanu, U. V. (2026). School attacks, school closures and their impact on education in Nigeria. Multidisciplinary Research and Development Journal International, 8 (1), 1–11.
Edinoh, K., Odili Abigail, C. & Asemota, R. (2026). Social policy and its influence on education in Nigeria: An empirical examination of the Safe Schools Programme. American Journal of Education and Evaluation Studies, 3 (4).
Wali-Essien, Chukwuemeka, & Edinoh (2025). Social Studies as a Tool for Peace Education and Navigating Current Realities in Nigeria. Global Scientific and Academic Research Journal of Education and literature ISSN: 2583–7966 (Online), 3 (1). 1–10.
Civic Education Unit, Test Development Department, National Examinations Council (NECO)