By Bianca Iboma-Emefu
In a bid to address the problem of bullying in schools, stakeholders have called on government at all levels to enact a law that will criminalize the act. They also said there is the need to provide further training for teachers to prevent harassment, especially for boarding school students.
Bullying in school is the most common type of violence among adolescents. It is not just recognized as a serious concern for students, but has also become a public health problem that draws global attention. Although the prevalence of bullying is difficult to estimate, some Nigerians have expressed displeasure over the inhumane treatment boarding school students in the country suffer.
Boarding students, apart from having classes together, eat and live in the same house. Most times, they are only separated when they all go home to their parents or guardians during the holidays.
In 2020, Deborah Okezie raised the alarm that her son, Don David Archibong, was allegedly assaulted by his seniors.
However, some people dismissed her claims, stating that she was trying to tarnish the image of the owners of the school, Deeper Life Bible Church.
Despite the accusations that went viral, Okezie fought for justice, for her 11-year-old boy, who was allegedly sodomized by senior students of the school.
Recently, Daily Sun carried out an opinion poll on the issue.
In the wake of the recent outrage that trailed the story of the death of a Dowen Secondary School, Lagos, student, Sylvester Oromoni, a child specialist at Rhema Bible Foundation, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Mrs. Cordelia Idoghor, said bullying at school could not be totally eradicated but could be curbed.
Idoghor said that harassment should not have a place either in our school or society. She added that once there is sign of a student showing behavioural change, such as being unusually quiet, the child should be counselled.
“It’s truly sad, the young chap Sylvester died. My heart bleeds over the incident. Schools should have child protection as part of the requirements,” she said.
She warned that any pupil behind any form of bullying should be subjected to disciplinary actions, adding that families of victims could report cases of harassment and bullying through an emergency hotline created by the school.
According to her, “Children should be trained in marital arts skills and engaged in taekwondo and karate lessons, so they can defend themselves. The teachers, on their part, should be close to the children, since they are their parents at school.
“Moreso, there should be no preference in treatment; they should be given equal opportunity and fair treatment.”
Idoghor recounted some sad stories recorded in secondary schools, especially in boarding schools, and called for jail sentence for offenders, to curb bullying and other forms of violence in schools.
She stated recently that there had been incidents but a few were reported as Don David Archibong, a junior secondary school student of Deeper Life High School in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, was sodomized.
“The mother of the boy fought for justice, she stood her ground, though not easy, in the midst of the cyber bullying and condemnation. The woman was accused but she kept fighting, until she got justice.
“It is going viral at the moment. A former guidance and counselling tutor left the school because they bully students, commit other forms of violence and heinous crime. We need to put measures in place that can tackle bullying in school.”
A lawyer and convener of Warien Rose Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, Efe Anaughe, said a lot has been going on in Nigeria right now, especially with the death of Sylvester, but it has brought so much out about what children are going through.
Anaughe said: “This has been traumatic for them. It is high time parents reviewed the plight of their children at school. And knowing what they encounter daily is very vital.
“It’s been going on for a long time, but most times parents dismiss what their children say and put it in a subtle manner. They will say they are still young, they just left home, they will cope, they are still tied to the apron strings of their mothers, they feel uncomfortable because they just left home, that is how things degenerated to this level.
“They feel uncomfortable leaving home, but the truth is when a child lodges a complaint, it should be taken seriously. Parents should not dismiss the warning signs when a child is trying to inform them of something. When they are bullied, are withdrawn from society, show poor performance and are unusually quiet, if there are clues, solution would come. There must be a clue to a statement the child is making.
“Parents should strike a balance; a lot is going on. It is obvious we have a failed home system. Hustling and bustling have contributed to why we have failed parents. The children are left to their devices most of the time, without knowing what the child is doing. They don’t know anything about the child. Money is not everything. Money will not buy good character. How do you want your child to turn out? The society has to train your children.”
Anaughe stressed that parents should go back to the old ways, make time for their children, find out on a regular basis from them what happens to them.
“And whatever they tell you, please, take it seriously and investigate it. Do not be dismissive. So many parents are losing their children and a lot is happening.
“These are things that are quite alien to us. Hatred has to be halted. Those days, we had moral instructions, now they don’t do moral instructions. We were taught how to sit properly, wash, clean and stuff as a lady. We must introduce things that have to do with gender sensitivity and infuse what is going in the world now. Boys should be taught how to cook and ladies how to do chores,” she said.
Anaughe urged schools to take security measures that can curb negative things: “Cameras should be installed everywhere, including in private places like the bathroom. Necessity is the mother of invention. When there is a complaint, the footage from the camera can be used to find out what exactly happened.
“The license of any school involved in an incident should be revoked and it should be shut down permanently. The house master, principal or teachers involved in this issue should be punished. My heart bleeds for the parents of this late boy. I can only imagine what the parents are going through.This should teach us a valuable lesson,” she said.
A teacher in Delta State, Efemona Gladys, expressed grief over the death of Slyvester.
She said it is time to punish school bullies with jail sentence. “Growing up, there was discipline in our schools but presently no morals and respect in school, especially in the private schools where students are pampered,” she noted.
She added that despite the move to end violent cases against children in school, there are more reports of child molestation, threat and other physical violence against children.
“Zero tolerance for bullies by addressing the signs of bullying early before its impact get worse is key,” she insisted.
Also, Associate Professor, Clinical Psychology and Head of Department (HOD) Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Lagos State University (LASU), Temitayo Adewuyi, said that
bullying at school is an age-old problem and until recently, many took the “children will be children” attitude toward the problem.
Adewuyi being a victim of bullying was associated with increased depression, anxiety and psychosis. She said that victims of bullying reported more suicidal thinking and engaged in greater self-harming behaviors.
She added that “bullied students withdraw from society. When a child is bullied at school, it makes them withdraw from the society, have low self-esteem, and academic performance depreciates.
“Once a gang bullies a child, they become scared. There is need for training in order to boost their confidence. Emotional attachment where they should have physical contact with their wards.
“Discipline should be enforced and corporal punishment should be revisited. The kids are pampered, they don’t know and no longer have experience of the culture due to moral decadence.
“Psychologist seeks moderation in behavior, when there are signs of bullying, it can lead to suicidal deaths.
“Bullying is typically, not a one-time occurrence. Instead, the behavior is usually repeated over time. Most victims become suicidal.”
Adewunyi cited an instance of a student who was bullied at school and eventually committed suicide.
In order to combat bullying, many schools have to initiate prevention programmes.
Adewuyi stressed that Nigeria policy of education in 1981 stipulates that school counselor should be part of the curriculum and school center.
“The policy stipulates that 50 students per counselor. The counselor makes use of the curriculum where harmful behaviour are been taught ways to identify them. They have the symptoms. If the students are taught, they would be aware of what it is. There is no point establishing schools without a guidance and counseling center. Any school established must have a guidance and counseling center from early child’s school, primary one, to SS3.
“Apart from that theory, teaching them the practical aspect. How do they treat them, even in the university? Most universities have guidance and counseling center. This is to solve and treat the problem,” she said.
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By Bianca Iboma-Emefu In a bid to address the problem of bullying in schools, stakeholders have called…
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© 2019 The Sun Nigeria – Managed by Netsera.
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