Children in northern Nigeria have raised fresh concerns over the growing impact of climate-related risks on school safety, warning that worsening environmental conditions are undermining their health and education.
Members of the Child Rights Advocacy Club in Mashi Local Government Area of Katsina State made the appeal during an advocacy visit to local authorities, calling for urgent interventions to address flooding, poor sanitation, deforestation and unsafe school infrastructure.
The children, supported by Save the Children International through the Education Cannot Wait programme, said deteriorating school environments now pose direct threats to their safety, learning outcomes and overall wellbeing.
Speaking on behalf of her peers, A’isha Mutaka called for the provision of safe and reliable water sources in schools, particularly during the rainy season when flooding contaminates existing supplies.
The children also demanded clean, functional toilets with handwashing facilities to curb open defecation and reduce the spread of disease, highlighting sanitation gaps that disproportionately affect girls.
Halimatu Yusuf urged authorities to prioritise waste management and rehabilitate drainage systems to prevent blockages that lead to flooding in school compounds, while Salamatu Mohammed advocated tree-planting campaigns and stricter enforcement against deforestation to reduce heat stress and climate exposure.
On school safety, Abdulhamid Surajo called for fencing of school premises, deployment of security personnel, and measures to prevent grazing within school compounds. He identified Government Pilot Secondary School Majigiri, Afadu Primary School, and Doguru Primary and Secondary Schools as among the most affected.
The children said their demands reflect the realities faced by many pupils across their communities, where climate change impacts, particularly flooding and extreme heat, are compounding already fragile education infrastructure.
Evidence from ongoing education interventions in northwest Nigeria shows that unsafe and climate-exposed school environments can significantly disrupt learning, with flooding, damaged classrooms and lack of sanitation facilities discouraging attendance, especially among girls.
Responding, Mashi Council Chairman Salisu Kallah pledged that the local government would take concrete steps to address the issues, including reinforcing measures against illegal tree cutting and improving school conditions.
The District Head of Mashi, Kabir Aminu, also called for the establishment of environmental clubs in schools and stronger community-led sustainability initiatives to tackle environmental degradation.
The advocacy highlights growing pressure on local authorities to integrate climate resilience into education planning, as communities in northern Nigeria face overlapping challenges of environmental change, infrastructure deficits and access to safe learning spaces.
