Schools urged to adopt policies, measures to prevent sexual abuse

School managements have been advised to adopt policies and implement measures and regulations that will prevent sexual abuse in learning environments.

Recall that the Chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practice and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, Dr. Musa Aliyu had lamented the surge of sexual harassment in primary and secondary schools across the country.

Aliyu noted that the menace will continue to grow until perpetrators face severe penalties.

Chairman Lyceum Schools, Abeokuta, Adeyinka Ola-William, warned that the threat is not unique to Nigeria and advised educational institutions to set boundaries on teachers’ interaction with students.

Ola-Williams spoke on Friday during his school’s 12th year anniversary and graduation ceremony themed, “Global Reach Within Local Realities” held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta.

He said, “Even in advanced countries such things happen. It is to set up policies and procedures, there is nothing you can do about somebody who has emotional problems; there is nothing you can do about a deviant. What you can do is to create environment that will not allow that trait to function.

“You know when school closes you shut down the school you don’t allow children stay without other students and teachers, in our college those are some of the policies that we have.

“Teachers should have boundaries in interacting with students, once this is done it may reduce it. So you can set policies and create systems that will not allow sexual abuses to thrive.”

He asserted that abuses occur not just in schools, but also at home, and advised parents to rigorously monitor their children and how they access the internet.

In his remarks, Abayomi Arigbabu, the State Commissioner for Education, praised the school’s standards stressing that the ceremony’s theme is appropriate, especially at the time when youth are the foundation of any society’s positive image.

Arigbabu, who was represented by Mrs Mujidat Aigoro, Zonal Educational Officer, Abeokuta South Local Government Area, stated that the school’s activities have enabled teaching to meet global standards.

“The theme of this year anniversary, Global Reach Within Local Realities, is timely, especially at this period when it has been identified all over the world that youth are the foundation of positive picture of any society. Their energies, creativity, characters and orientations define the pace of economic development, socio-political attainment, security and stability of a nation and by extension, the world,” the commissioner said.