“An empowered learner is a strong learner, less susceptible to bullying or abuse,” the school says.
To reduce the incidence of bullying among students, Chrisland Schools, Lagos, has empowered its learners to stay safe and speak up against all forms of bullying.
This is part of the school commemorating its ‘Safeguarding Week’ across all its branches in Lagos and Abuja, according to a statement from the school Thursday.
The statement quoted the Head, Risk, Compliance Safeguarding and Child Protection, Kemi Fajemirokun, as urging parents and their wards to always speak up whenever they see something wrong.
According to the school, the week-long event held every term is designed to empower learners and provide them with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate each term safely and confidently.
Cases of bullying across schools in Nigeria have been on the rise in the past few years and some schools are now taking initiatives to sensitise and empower their learners against the vices.
Recently, another Lagos school, Wellspring College held its maiden anti-bullying campaign involving the students, teachers, and parents to raise awareness about the dangers of bullying and its direct impacts on child development, family values, and social life.
Safeguarding week
According to Chrisland Schools, the safeguarding week is themed, “Promoting total well-being and positive mental health through protection from cyberbullying and general bullying.”
The objective of the week was to raise awareness about the effects; and protection from all forms of bullying, as well as to sensitise students about the importance of speaking up.
The school noted that the activities for the week featured song presentations, playlets, debates, drama presentations, spoken word performances, and talk shows, among others, adding that the safeguarding ambassadors for each level were reintroduced and encouraged to be exemplary in their roles.
Parents’ participation, comments
The statement noted that during one of the sessions, Maureen Ada-Leonard, an organisational psychologist and a parent at Chrisland High School Ikeja, encouraged the learners to communicate with their parents at home and counsellors at school.
Mrs Ada-Leonard emphasised the importance of upholding moral values such as respect, integrity, and responsibility.
She admonished parents at the event on the need for a holistic approach from both home and school in raising a well-rounded child.
Another parent, Opeoluwa Adeyemi, urged learners at Chrisland School Ladipo-Oluwole to remain vigilant, emphasising that bullying can occur not only within the school premises but also outside of it.
She pointed out that “Bullying does not only take place in school; it can happen anywhere. However, its effects can be felt or observed while the child is at school.”
Ensuring safety
In her comments at the grand finale of Safeguarding Week at the school branch in Ikeja, Mrs Fajemirokun explained that the term’s theme was chosen through a questionnaire survey conducted to understand the concerns of the children.
According to her, the chosen theme will resonate throughout the term, noting that “an empowered learner is a strong learner, less susceptible to bullying or abuse.”
“This commitment to safety is evident in the involvement of parents who are part of the safeguarding committee of each school. We are raising children who will be global leaders. So, if you ‘see something’, ‘say something’ and ‘do something’,” she said
The first term’s safeguarding week focused on ‘The Duty of Care’, that is, the responsibilities of staff in ensuring the children are well cared for, protected, and safeguarded while in school.