FG to develop National policy on bullying

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, has disclosed that the federal government is set to develop a national policy on bullying to address the incessant challenge of students being bullied across schools in Nigeria.

This is coming following the many cases of bullying recorded across secondary schools, which have caused outrage from parents and Nigerians.

Alausa, who stated this on Wednesday in an interview with journalists after a meeting with principals of Federal Government Unity Colleges in Abuja, said the policy on bullying would be developed at the next National Council on Education.”We will not tolerate, accept any bullying in any of our schools and in our society. What we’re doing now is that we’re formalising a policy that we will take to the highest policy-making organ in the country,” he said.

The minister also said a nationwide sensitisation programme would be launched to educate students, teachers, and parents on the dangers of bullying and violence, and to promote a culture of kindness and respect.He emphasised on strengthening school policies, which require that all secondary schools implement strict anti-bullying policies, enforce disciplinary measures, and establish functional guidance and counselling units.

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“We as a government have zero tolerance for bullying. We got the solicitor general to come and talk to the principals of the school of what we have today as part of the law of the land to address bullying,” he added.

The minister explained that the gathering talked about the safe school act and the other existing policies and laws to tackle bullying.

“We’ve been using several of these laws to come with a national policy that we in the Federal Ministry of Education have been working with the Attorney General’s office to quickly come up with that policy. And we can take this to the National Council of Education for adoption as part of our process to address bullying and discipline in society,” he said.

According to him, state governments will be carried along in the implementation of the policy. He added that the ministry had done a lot of things about instilling discipline in schools.

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