FG intensifies anti-bullying drive, urges students to report abuse in schools

The Federal Government has intensified efforts to combat bullying in schools, urging students to report incidents of abuse rather than suffer in silence, warning that silence often enables bullying to persist while undermining learning, mental health and the overall safety of the school environment.

The call was made on Wednesday in Abuja during a one-day sensitisation workshop on the National Policy on Anti-Bullying for students and teachers, organised by the Federal Ministry of Education in collaboration with the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).

The workshop forms part of ongoing efforts by the ministry and UBEC to deepen awareness and strengthen implementation of the National Policy on Anti-Bullying across schools nationwide.

Speaking at the event, Aisha Garba, Executive Secretary of UBEC, described bullying as a growing concern in Nigerian schools, saying it negatively affects students’ academic performance, emotional well-being and overall development.

Represented by Olajuwon Rasaq, Deputy Executive Secretary, Garba encouraged students who witness or experience bullying to report such incidents promptly, stressing that early intervention could prevent long-term psychological and academic harm.

“If you see something, say something. You can report without being noticed. Walk to your teacher or head teacher and report what is happening,” she said.

Garba noted that many victims remain silent because they fear retaliation, leaving them traumatised and unable to concentrate in class or participate effectively in learning activities despite knowing the correct answers.

She explained that the National Anti-Bullying Policy provides practical guidelines for preventing, identifying and addressing bullying at all levels of education, from primary schools to universities.

The UBEC boss also urged teachers and school administrators to establish safe and confidential channels for reporting bullying cases, while calling on parents to reinforce positive values and discipline at home.

She expressed concern over what she described as the erosion of societal values, attributing part of the trend to the influence of social media and the adoption of unhealthy foreign lifestyles by young people.

Also speaking, Ayodele Joseph, Director-General of the African Principal Conference Initiative, called for continuous monitoring and evaluation of the National Anti-Bullying Policy to ensure its effective implementation and measurable impact in schools.

He said awareness campaigns alone would not eliminate bullying unless schools consistently enforced the policy and monitored compliance.

Joseph disclosed that his organisation had been championing anti-bullying advocacy since 2019 through seminars and symposiums, even before the Federal Ministry of Education launched the nationwide sensitisation programme.

He added that the organisation conducted a nationwide baseline study on bullying and violence in Nigerian schools in 2023 and plans to undertake a follow-up tracking study in March next year to assess the level of compliance with the policy.

“We need to determine whether schools have domesticated the policy and whether teachers, parents and students understand what bullying is and how to respond appropriately,” he said.

Delivering the keynote address, Ayotola Ilori, Executive Director of the Sustainable Solution for Youth and Vulnerable Initiative (SSYVI),  described bullying as a growing generational challenge with far-reaching consequences for victims, perpetrators, bystanders, families and the wider school community.

She identified verbal, physical, social and cyberbullying as the major forms of bullying and urged students and teachers to become “upstanders” by speaking out against abuse instead of remaining silent.

“We need to have these difficult conversations because bullying is becoming generational. Some children believe that when they become seniors, it will be their turn to bully others. We need to be upstanders, not bystanders. Keeping quiet when someone is being bullied is part of the problem,” she said.

Ilori commended the Federal Ministry of Education and UBEC for sustaining the anti-bullying campaign and called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society organisations, development partners, the media and the private sector to create safer and more inclusive learning environments for Nigerian children.

The Federal Government said it remains committed to ensuring that schools across the country are safe spaces where every learner can thrive free from intimidation, harassment and violence through effective implementation of the National Policy on Anti-Bullying.