The Minister of State for Education, Yusuf Sununu, has urged principals to resuscitate relevant school clubs and societies to keep the mind of students away from vices.
The minister gave the advice on Thursday in Abuja at a programme to sensitise parents, teachers, students and other stakeholders to the need to shun vices in schools.
At the programme tagged “Kick out vices in secondary schools’’ the minister said the resuscitation of school clubs – Drama, agric, press, literary and debating society among others – would help to occupy the students with useful thoughts.
He said the move would create an environment that empowers students to make positive choices and resist the allure of vices that threaten to derail their potentials.
Sununu also directed all school managements to increase their surveillance on vices in schools most especially in the era of social media.
“Vices in so many different guises have eaten deep into the fabric of our society especially amongst students in secondary schools.
“They now divert and channel their energies to these vices instead of being serious with their academic work.
“Secondary school is not just a place of learning but nurturing ground where young minds is shaped, and values instilled.
“It is not only a place for academic pursuits but also a sanctuary where values are cultivated. It is a place where respect, integrity, and discipline should be held with the highest regard
“However, in recent times, there has been growing concern about the infiltration of vices that threaten to compromise the very foundations upon which our institutions stand.
“It is our collective responsibility to address this issue head-on and create an environment that fosters growth,’’ he said.
The minister underscored the need to engage in open and honest conversations with students by creating platforms for them to express their concerns, fears, and challenges.
The Director, Senior Secondary Education Department in the Ministry, Binta Abdulkadir corroborated the minister that secondary schools were once revered as bastions of knowledge and character formation.
She however, lamented that the schools were now grappling with a myriad of vices that threaten the very fabric of our society.
“From substance abuse to examination malpractice, from bullying to cultism, these vices have infiltrated our educational institutions, corroding the minds and souls of our future leaders.
“But amidst this grim reality, there is hope. The power to effect change lies within each and every one of us gathered here today,’’ she said.
Abdulkadir enjoined parents to take active interest in their children’s lives, engage with them, and provide them with the guidance and support they needed to navigate their challenges (NAN)