The Federal Government has established the Safe Schools Department within the Federal Ministry of Education as part of renewed efforts to strengthen the protection of learners and improve security in schools across the country. Alausa said the department replaces the former Safe Schools Unit and would be responsible for strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety initiatives across Nigeria. “The Federal Ministry of Education has established a full-fledged Safe Schools Department to provide strategic leadership, coordination and oversight of school safety programmes nationwide,” the minister said. He explained that the ministry would coordinate the Safe Schools Initiative through a unified national framework designed to improve implementation, accountability and monitoring across the country’s 774 local government areas. On funds allocated to the Safe Schools Initiative, Alausa said some grants and appropriated funds under review were disbursed before his appointment and administered at the time by the Federal Ministry of Finance.