Critical Discourse Analysis on Public Relations and Promotion of Safe School Initiative in Nigeria

This study was carried out to examine the relationship between public relations strategies and the promotion of safe school initiatives in Nigeria. Anchored on stakeholder theory and supported by excellence theory of public relations, the researchers adopted a library research method and critical discourse analysis to analyse the data. The findings revealed that public relations strategies are crucial for managing insecurity, enhancing security measures and promoting safe school environments in Nigeria. Various strategies, including press releases, social media, community awareness programmes and reputation management, are employed in Nigerian educational institutions to achieve safe school objectives. The study also showed that public relations strategies can enhance communication efficiency, productivity, conflict resolution and public acceptance, indicating potential effectiveness in promoting safe school initiatives. However, challenges such as inadequate resources, lack of trained personnel, poor communication, corruption, insecurity and management interference hinder the effectiveness of public relations strategies. The study concluded that public relations is essential in managing safe school initiatives, but ineffective use and challenges can limit the achievement of desired results. To address these challenges, the study, among other things, recommended developing comprehensive public relations plans and utilising social media for safety awareness. Keywords: Public Relations, Safe School Initiative, Critical Discourse Analysis