Senate widens safe schools probe

The Senate has expanded the scope of its ongoing investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), granting its ad-hoc committee a three-week extension to scrutinise five additional key federal bodies involved in educational funding, student loans, and social intervention schemes. The committee’s expanded mandate now covers TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund), NELFUND (Nigerian Education Loan […]

The Senate has expanded the scope of its ongoing investigation into the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI), granting its ad-hoc committee a three-week extension to scrutinise five additional key federal bodies involved in educational funding, student loans, and social intervention schemes.
The committee’s expanded mandate now covers TETFund (Tertiary Education Trust Fund), NELFUND (Nigerian Education Loan Fund), UBEC (Universal Basic Education Commission), Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and NSIPA (National Social Investment Programme Agency).
Our correspondent reports that the decision followed a motion presented on Tuesday by ad-hoc committee chairman, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC, Abia North).
Senator Kalu informed lawmakers that initial inquiries revealed deep financial and operational overlaps between the Safe Schools Initiative and other major federal education and welfare agencies.

He cautioned that examining the SSI in isolation would lead to incomplete legislative oversight.

“Investigating the Safe Schools Initiative without reviewing these complementary bodies will result in fragmented legislative oversight,” Kalu stated.