As parts of efforts to address reoccurring issue of bullying in schools across the country, the Federal Government has launched the National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools and its implementation guidelines.
While lunching the policy document on Monday at the Citizens and Stakeholders' Engagement On Nigerian Education Sector held in Abuja on Monday, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, stressed that the move is to make Nigerian schools more safer with all students accorded the desired respects across board.
To this end, he Federal Government through the Minister of State for Education, Prof Suwaiba Ahmad equally inaugurated the Anti-Bullying Committee saying; Another highlight of today’s event is the launch of the National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools and its Implementation Guidelines. This policy comes at a critical time when the mental health, safety, and dignity of our learners must be safeguarded across all learning environments.
"Bullying undermines not only the well-being of students but also their ability to learn and thrive.
The National Policy on Anti-Bullying sets a clear framework for preventing and responding to all forms of bullying in schools—physical, verbal, psychological, and cyberbullying.
"It defines the responsibilities of school administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community stakeholders. Most importantly, it promotes a culture of respect, empathy, and accountability."
"With the inauguration of this policy, we are not just adopting a document—we are committing to a nationwide movement for safer, more inclusive, and nurturing school environments.
"I commend the technical teams, partners, and all stakeholders who have contributed to the development of this policy." she stated.
Earlier, the Education Minister, Dr Alausa, in his presentation, highlighted achievements being recorded in the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI) initiative targeting six priority intervention areas.
He listed the areas as; 650,000 enrollees under TVET, upgrading 38 Federal and State Technical colleges for TVET training, training 3,600 teachers nationwide.
"On TVET, we are focusing on practical training. We are going to do what Germany did".
The identified that 25,000 children have been integrated into former education in the FCT, and training of 400 Tsangaya teachers, launched the Nigeria Education Digitalization Initiative (NEDI) for generating all education data; launching the LUMINAH targeting 1 million girls completing education by 2030, and 184,153 girls receiving digital literacy skills just as N40 billion has been committed to complete the National Library to support academic and research needs.
"It is a platform for discussion and deliberation on various initiatives of the Ministry in alignment with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR. This engagement is an avenue for the Ministry to inform the citizens of our initiatives and milestones in the delivery of the programmes and projects assigned to our sector by Mr. President.
"Our engagement here today reinforces the commitment of the Federal Ministry of Education to deepen citizens' participation in shaping the future of education in Nigeria. Through dialogue, transparency, and evidence-based policies, NESRI aims to address the systemic challenges that hinder access, equity, and quality in education," he maintained.
In his goodwill message, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, noted that Nigeria's major challenge is that of implementation and wondered about what has been happening to the education budget and why trained Nigerian lecturers and doctors are seeking green pastures abroad.
He also tasked the ministry in its move to embrace technical education to ensure that Nigerian students are trained on High-tech and not as barbers, hairdressers, taylors.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and TETFund, Senator Muntari Dandutse, described NESRI as a call to action