Funmi Ogundare
The Head of Risk, Compliance Safeguarding and Child Protection, Chrisland Schools, Mrs. Kemi Fajemirokun, has warned against bullying in schools, saying that love should be paramount and learners should be learners to make them less susceptible to bullying or abuse.
Fajemirokun said this recently at the school's Safeguarding Week, which aimed to raise awareness about the effects and protection from all forms of bullying and sensitise students about the importance of speaking up.
The programme, 'Promoting Total Well-being and Positive Mental Health Through Protection from Cyberbullying and General Bullying', is usually held during the second week of each term across all its branches in Lagos and Abuja.
Fajemirokun stressed the need for its learners to stay safe and strong throughout the term and speak up against bullying.
She explained that the term's theme was chosen through a questionnaire survey conducted to understand the concerns of the children.
"This week-long event is designed to empower learners and provide them with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate each term safely and confidently," said Fajemirokun. "The chosen theme will resonate throughout the term."
Activities during the safeguarding week were conducted across different branches of the school to ensure maximum participation and impact.
The activities included song presentations, playlets, debates, drama presentations, spoken word performances, and talk shows. Additionally, safeguarding ambassadors for each level were reintroduced and encouraged to be exemplary in their roles.
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During one of the sessions, Maureen Ada-Leonard, an organisational psychologist, advised the learners to communicate with their parents and counsellors at school.
She emphasised the importance of upholding moral values such as respect, integrity, and responsibility while likening the mind to an open space.
Ada-Leonard, a Chrisland High School Ikeja parent and Managing Partner of Etinard Consulting Limited, cautioned against taking in anything unhealthy. She emphasised the need for a holistic approach from home and school in raising a well-rounded child, adding that educators should be positive role models.
"It is the image the children see that they aspire to become," she stated.
Another parent, Mrs. 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, "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."
