The Senate has expanded the mandate of its ad hoc committee investigating the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative (SSI) programme to include the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND), the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, and the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The upper chamber also granted the committee a three-week extension to conclude its investigation.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by the Chairman of the ad hoc committee, Senator Orji Kalu, pursuant to Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2026 (as amended), seeking an expansion of the committee’s terms of reference and additional time to complete its assignment.
Presenting the motion on Tuesday, Kalu stated that preliminary findings by the committee revealed significant links between the implementation and funding of the Safe Schools Initiative and several federal agencies responsible for education financing, student welfare, humanitarian interventions and social investment programmes.
According to him, limiting the investigation to the Safe Schools Initiative alone would prevent the Senate from carrying out a comprehensive assessment of issues relating to school security, educational infrastructure and intervention programmes targeted at vulnerable learners.
“The issues surrounding student security, educational infrastructure funding and social intervention schemes for vulnerable learners across the country are deeply interwoven. Investigating the Safe Schools Initiative without reviewing these complementary bodies will result in fragmented legislative oversight,” he said.
He explained that expanding the committee’s mandate would enable the Senate to produce a comprehensive report capable of strengthening accountability, improving transparency in the management of intervention funds and enhancing the protection of students across the country.
Under the expanded terms of reference, the committee will review financial flows, operational challenges and accountability mechanisms within the Safe Schools Initiative and the affected agencies.
The panel will also examine social safety net allocations linked to school feeding programmes, emergency relief interventions for displaced students and educational rehabilitation initiatives implemented through the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and NSIPA.
Additionally, the committee is expected to audit infrastructure and security intervention projects financed by TETFund in tertiary institutions, assess NELFUND’s disbursement processes, operational readiness, administrative efficiency and student access framework, and review UBEC’s interventions in basic education.
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