School proprietors and teachers have called for closer collaboration between government agencies, religious bodies and community leaders to curb bullying in schools across the country.

The education stakeholders made the call in seperate interviews on Sunday in Abuja.

Sonia Egbe, Proprietress, Grace of The Highest Christian Academy, said that such collaborative effort would help address the menace of bullying in schools.

Ms Egbe said that holistic approach were necessary to address bad attitudes leading to bullying in the schools.

“Bullying among the children can be reported from victims and onlookers at the scene. All we can do is to counsel the child caught bullying and make them apologise.

“Parents are invited to the school in serious cases and in the worst scenario, the child would be expelled.

“It may not be in our best economic benefit to expel the child but I rather lose a child than let him or her corrupt the entire student’s population.

“If there is collaboration between religious, traditional institutions and government agencies to tackle indiscipline in schools especially bullying, I think it will give a boost to our effort,” she said.

Also speaking, Head Teacher, Santa Virgo International Academy, Sandra Eprahim, said the school initiated plays to inculcate morals on the students to curb bullying and other related indecent acts.

She said the school also engaged psychologists to enhance counselling serviced to erring students and victims, and urged parents and stakeholders in the society to live exemplary and modest life worthy of emulation by younger ones.

For his part, Daniel Unogun of the Purplins School, advocated for regular interaction between the schools and parents to address the menace.

He said parents have a great role to play in curbing bullying, and urged government at all levels to make recruitment of psychologists compulsory for establishing a school, especially secondary schools.

(NAN)