Be Smart and proactive, ANCOPSS President charges principals on security in schools
Principals of secondary schools have been challenged to be proactive and think outside the box in combating threats of insecurity in their various schools.
The President of the Lagos State chapter of All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mrs Folashade Moronkeji, speaking at the 34th conference of the Confederation in Lagos implored Principals to think outside the box in combating the problem of security in their schools.
“Principals as administrators must be smart. If you are not smart, you can never manage. There is no area where you will not see intruders and area boys. There are lots of challenges from these students. Some suffer from broken homes. As experienced administrators, we have to be innovative and proffer solutions to our superiors”, she said.
Moronkeji also praised the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for the continuous recruitment of new members of staff to replace those who have retired.
She however, requested for rehabilitation of schoosl, recruitment of teaching and non teaching members of staff, provision of bus to the association, sponsorship of members of ANCOPSS to national and international conferences.
The ANCOPSS President also solicited for training and retraining of teachers, restoration of teaching related allowances such as duty post allowance, science teachers allowance, rural/riverine allowances as well as financial support towards completion of the ANCOPSS permanent secretariat.
Delivering the lecture, an educationist, Mr Lai Bello, challenged principals of schools to go beyond traditional method of tackling insecurity in schools.
Admitting that security challenges can no longer be treated with kid gloves, Bello urged school principals to partner with the police and community leaders in their localities as the government statutory allocation alone cannot address the security needs.
He said principals should establish good relation with the divisional police officers in their areas and involve old students in providing security gadgets in their schools.
He also advocated use of close circuit television, alarms and other modern technological tools to secure their schools.
ANCOPSS also conferred awards on dignitaries and recognised students and schools that have excelled in competitions organised by the body.
Awards were conferred on former chairman of Lagos State Civil Service Commission, Mrs Taiwo Oyemade, the Commissioner of Education, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo and the Chairman of Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) Mrs Elizabeth Olabisi Ariyo.
