On Wednesday, Invictus Africa, a non-governmental organisation, urged schools to design and implement effective policies to curb bullying and other school-related violence.

Its executive director, Bukky Shonibare, made the call in a statement in Abuja following a recent viral video of a young girl being bullied by her classmate at Lead British School, Abuja.

The video revealed how a girl and her friends physically bullied and assaulted the victim, who remained silent throughout the painful ordeal.

Ms Shoninbare condemned the act and stressed that “no one should endure bullying, whether at the hands of their peers or adults.”

She added, “Schools must design and implement effective policies that include severe consequences for bullies to serve as deterrent to others. School administrators have the mandate to ensure that students have positive and friendly learning environment, and no one should be a threat to that.”

She described bullying as “violence that poses significant threat to the safe and inclusive learning environment, with short and long-term” effects on victims.

Ms Shonibare said, “Bullying can have profound short and long-term effects on victims, such as depression, anxiety and low self-esteem, and can lead to suicide in some cases. Beyond speaking out against bullying every time it occurs, duty bearers must take serious measures to effectively prevent and respond to the menace.”

The activist, while urging the federal government to resolve issues of bullying in schools, stressed the need for stakeholders to collaborate in ending the problem.

She said, “Government must prioritise finding a lasting solution to the issue of bullying in schools. All hands must be on deck in creating safe and inclusive environments in schools, where every student feels valued, respected and protected from all forms of violence.”

Ms Shonibare also urged parents to instil moral values in their children and not leave everything for educators to handle.

“Parents need to teach their wards to be kind, compassionate, honest, and above all, show empathy toward others. Additionally, children must be empowered to stand up for themselves and speak out when they are being bullied,” she said. 

(NAN)