The management of Lead British International School, Abuja, has reacted to the incident in a viral video where a female student was bullied by her schoolmate.
An X user @mooyeeeeeee posted two videos on Monday where the victim she identified as Maryam Hassan was repeatedly slapped by another female student, thereby seeking justice.
The video has generated thousands of comments by netizens calling on the school authorities to investigate the matter.
Reacting to the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday, the Lead British International School said an investigation has begun over the matter.
It also said that the counselling unit of the school is helping to the victimised student overcome the emotional and psychological impact.
The statement read, “We are committed to providing a safe and supportive learning environment for all our students. Hence, upon learning of the incident, we initiated the process of reaching out to the victim and family with a view to providing support, including access to counselling services to help them cope with the emotional and psychological impact of the incident.
“Additionally, we will be working with the perpetrators and their families, offering counselling and disciplinary measures to address their behaviour which has no place in society.
“We have also immediately initiated an investigation, appointing a dedicated team to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter. The team has been gathering information, including reviewing video footage and interviewing witnesses, to understand the full scope of the incident and identify the immediate and remote causes.”
The school also said it is providing a safe environment for students to learn and working against bullying of students through its policies.
It also appealed to the general public to stop sharing and posting of the videos to help the students in stabilising their emotional consciousness.
It continued, ““In line with our commitment to preventing bullying and ensuring a safe school environment, we will be reviewing and updating our extant Anti-Bullying Policies and procedures to determine areas requiring improvement, with a focus on prevention and early intervention. LBIS will also be implementing educational programmes and workshops for students, staff, and parents to raise awareness about bullying and its consequences.
“Lead British International School Abuja, established since 2007, is a renowned education brand with a proud history of producing thousands of alumni who continue to make the institution proud through their accomplishments around the world. These achievements testify to the sound academic and moral grounding they received during their formative years in the school.
“We want to reassure our school community and the public that we are taking all necessary steps to address this isolated incident and prevent a recurrence. We are committed to fostering a culture of kindness, respect, and empathy at Lead British International School Abuja, where every student feels safe, valued, and respected.
“We also urge anyone with information about this incident or any other incidents of bullying to come forward and report them to the school administration by contacting the undersigned via the phone number and email provided. We are here to listen, support, and take action to ensure the well-being of all our students.
“LBIS appeals to members of the public, especially citizen journalists on social media, to refrain from further circulating the horrendous video of the incident, to protect the minors involved and their families.”
