Dowen college student death raise questions of how to protect your child from bullying – see wetin to know

Students for inside classroom

AFP
Students for inside classroom

Di news of di death of one 12-year-old student wey allegedly die from beating don raise conversations about bullying for schools in Nigeria.

Although di school claim say Sylvester Oromoni Jnr bin sustain injury from football but di parents claim say di boy confession to dem before e die, show say na some student beat am because ‘e no gree join cult’.

Authorities don already take action to begin investigate di cause of di boy death as dem shut down di school till further notice.

Meanwhile di conversation about child bullying for schools still dey go on as dis no be di first time wey dis kain mata go come up.

Earlier dis year, one juvenile court for Nigeria southern city of Uyo start di trial of two boys wey be students of Deeper Life High School for allegedly molesting one 11 year old junior student.

Pipo dey ask how parents or guardians fit spot am, wetin to do about am and wetin school management fit do?

Psychologist Anjula Mutanda follow BBC tok on how to spot signs of bullying.

Signs wey show say dem fit dey bully your child

Anjula say bully signs dey include:

  • Pikin fit dey vex or cry every time and you no fit place why.
  • Your pikin dey withdraw and fit tell you all di time say dem wan stay for house.
  • Or dem fit dey make excuse say dem no dey feel fine on school days. Even wen dem dey fine and full of energy for weekends.

“Wen e be like your pikin dey say or do anytin to avoid school, e dey important to check in wit dem,” she tok.

She say di first step as a parent na to stay calm wen you notice pattern of withdrawal, or see say dem dey express anxiety.

Di next tin na to make sure say your pikin fit follow you tok about wetin dey happun to dem.

Wetin Parents/guardian fit do to protect dia pikin from bullies

Oyo state goment reopen schools

BBC
Oyo state goment reopen schools

Child Protection expert, Taiwo Akinlami follow BBC Pidgin tok say e get many things wey parents fit do to prevent dia pikin from bully or immediately dem get di report or see any sign say pesin don bully dia pikin for school.

Child protection system: Oga Taiwo say di first tin wey parents or guardian must do before dem even register dia pikin for any school na to ask if di school get written child protection system.

For inside dis policy, e go dey clear wetin schools dey do to protect every student. Also wetin dem go do if e get any reported or suspicious case of molestation.

Complain and demand action: If parents no gree see any child protection policy and dem don already register dia pikin for di school, di next line of action wen dia children complain of bully for school na to immediately take am up wit di school authority by complaining.

Di child protection expert wey also be lawyer tell BBC Pidgin say parents/guardian must demand for something to be done about am.

Pscycho social support: Afta reports of bullying, Oga Taiwo say parents must give dia pikin pscycho social support.

“You need counselling for your pikin, because bullying no dey leave pikin wia e meet am. You need to get your child, help.”

Create working talking relationship wit your pikin. “Let your pikin know say you dey available to tok to and respond anytime,” oga Taiwo tok. E say dis one go make di pikin dey confident to always tok.

Consider legal actions: E also say if any cases of bullying come up against your pikin and you don report am to school and dem no take any action, Taiwo say make parents/guardians consider taking legal action against all di pipo wey dey involved.

“Finally, e dey important for you to comot your child from di school, if dem no fit help you.”

Oga Taiwo also say to prepare your child for di world today, e dey important for parents and guardians to build resilience in dia pikin, tell dem wetin to expect out dia and how to react.

Wetin schools management fit do to end bullying?

For interview wit BBC Pidgin, Nnena Okore wey be principal for one school for Lagos, for southwest Nigeria say e dey important for schools to put up policies against bullying.

She say di first tin be say schools must get policies wey parents go sign without fear say dia pikin no go get hand for any act of bullying or dem go face punishment

She also tok about standard protection policy wey goment go monitor for all school. Wetin dis mean say schools must get proper medical care to cater to any health need of any child.

According to her, “counselling department for schools also dey important. Madam Nnena say dis go allow students speak freely to dia counsellor, complain about any form of bullying and for those wey also dey bully oda students, di counsellors fit also do reform sessions wit dem.