Assessment of the Role of Religious Institutions in Enhancing Secondary School Security in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigated the role of religious institutions in enhancing secondary school security in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria. Two research objectives were formulated to guide the study: to assess the role of religious institutions in enhancing secondary school security and to also examine the constraints to the role of religious institutions in enhancing secondary school security in Sokoto Metropolis, Sokoto State, Nigeria. The study was motivated by the increasing cases of insecurity in the education sector and the need to find a lasting solution by all stakeholders, including religious institutions. Qualitative research method was adopted for the study and interview was used in collecting data. The population of the study comprises school administrators, religious Subjects’ teachers and religious leaders, where nine participants were selected using snowball sampling technique. The data were analysed using thematic analysis and the findings revealed that religious institutions play a spiritual supportive role, advisory role in government and private owned schools and play a huge and direct role in schools owned by them by purchasing of security gadgets, construction of school fence, liaising with security agents, among others. It was also revealed that among the constraints in enhancing secondary school security are: financial, political, legal, among others. Based on these findings, the study concludes that religious institutions play a great role in enhancing secondary school security in schools owned by them but play a supportive and advisory role in other schools due to some constraints and therefore recommends that government should provide constitutional framework to support religious institutions in order to enable them carry out some roles in enhancing security of schools and that of the society in general.