In a bid to inculcate the habit of safety in Nigerian children, the federal government has approved the teaching of road safety as a course of study in secondary schools in Nigeria.
With the approval, road safety study is now part of the junior and senior secondary schools in the country.
Similarly, the government has approved a uniform bus standard to be used in ferrying children to and from their schools.
The Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr. Osita Chidoka, announced the measures in Abuja yesterday.?
Chidoka said the government took decisions to ensure that children who are the most vulnerable road users were given appropriate attention they deserve through the infusion of road safety education in school curricula and approval of standards for school buses in basic and senior secondary schools.
The FRSC CEO said, “This is historic and worthy of celebration as Nigeria through this, has demonstrated the recognition of the value of a formal road safety education within the school system as an effective means of road safety training and behavioural change.
“With this approval, Road safety education is now fused into the following basic education subjects curricula; English Language, Civic Education, Basic Science and Technology, Social Studies and Basic Science. Printed copies of these curricula, including Integrated Early Childhood Development (IECD) curriculum are available nationwide.
“It is pertinent to note that the demand for road safety education is based on the fact that young road users lack the skill and knowledge to operate safely in traffic environments and by addressing these shortfalls,? it will reduce their risk of being killed or maimed by other road users.
“The introduction of road safety education in the school curricula and the approval of school bus standards will go a long way in solving these challenges,” Chidoka said.
He expressed the hope that with the steps taken by the government, Nigeria would be able to raise a generation of cautious and careful road users to reduce carnage in the country.
The Corps Marshal appealed to the Federal Ministry of Education, the States and owners of schools to support his agency in the implementation of the new schemes for schools.