Nigeria's Education Minister Addresses Bullying Impact on Girls

The Federal Government of Nigeria has issued a warning that bullying, exclusion, and unsafe learning environments could gradually drive girls out of education, even if they remain physically present in school. This statement was made by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, during the opening of a three-day National Master Trainers’ Workshop on Safe Learning Environment, Gender-Responsive Pedagogy, and ICT Skills for Educators in Abuja.

Ahmad, represented by Dr. Uchenna Uba, Director of Colleges of Education, highlighted that conventional school attendance figures do not reflect the disengagement of students due to hostile classroom experiences. She noted that girls might withdraw from learning without formally leaving school.

The workshop aims to train 45 master trainers from 15 colleges of education, who will then disseminate knowledge to around 500 teacher educators nationwide. Ahmad also mentioned the introduction of a National Policy on Anti-Bullying in Nigerian Schools, emphasizing that the policy's success relies on effective implementation by educators.