The Centre of Educational Support for Out-of-School Children (CESOSC) has criticised northern states governors for closing schools over insecurity without providing learning alternatives.

The centre noted that the decision amounts to abandoning children at a time they needed educational protection the most.

In a statement signed by its Director General, Dr. Abubakar Isah Bakori, the organisation described the trend of shutting down schools without providing structured alternatives for learning as a “severe betrayal” of millions of vulnerable children already at risk of permanently dropping out of school.

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CESOSC acknowledged the worsening security situation across the region but argued that leadership “requires courage and constructive measures not retreat,” insisting that school closures should never be the first line of action.

“The security challenges are undeniable, but children should not pay the price for government failures. Every day a child is kept away from school deepens poverty, widens inequality, and empowers the very forces threatening our communities,” it stated.

The group recommended immediate and practical measures such as relocating students to safer learning centres, deploying more security personnel to schools, and establishing community-based learning hubs for displaced pupils.

It also urged northern governors to reopen closed schools with improved security, provide alternative learning options for affected students, and work with security agencies, traditional rulers, and civil society groups to develop a coordinated regional strategy for safe schooling.

The organisation reaffirmed its commitment to supporting state governments in designing inclusive and sustainable solutions that protect children and promote uninterrupted learning.

“Education is not only a right; it is the strongest weapon against insecurity. Abandoning it is not an option,” CESOSC stressed.