Nearly half of primary school pupils surveyed have experienced gender-based violence experts say it’s time for a coordinated national response.
The Youthcare Development and Empowerment Initiative (YcDEI) is calling for a structured, two-pronged strategy targeting both teachers and pupils to tackle school-related gender-based violence (GBV) in Nigeria’s primary schools.
Speaking in Ibadan, the group’s Executive Director, Prof. Adefunke Ekine, described school-related GBV as a daily reality for many children — ranging from bullying and harassment to emotional abuse within and around school premises.
According to her, it’s not just a discipline issue — it’s a child protection and education quality crisis.
A 2020 multi-state study funded by the Ford Foundation found that 47% of primary school pupils had experienced at least one form of school-related GBV. A follow-up study in 2023, backed by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, further examined the scale and risk factors.
In response, YcDEI launched a 2024 pilot intervention across 45 public primary schools in Oyo State, involving over 1,800 pupils and 200 teachers.
The approach?
Train teachers on child protection, positive discipline, identifying and documenting GBV cases. Educate pupils on their rights, safe reporting channels and respectful peer relationships.
So far, 136 teachers and 854 pupils across 20 schools have received targeted training.
An earlier project, “Lend a Voice,” recorded 91 reported violence cases in just six months across six primary schools — involving children as young as six.
To strengthen accountability, the initiative introduced school-based GBV reporting registers managed by class teachers.
Ekine stressed that preventing school violence aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals — particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) — and called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, schools, parents and communities.
Her message is clear: protecting children in schools requires structured systems — not ad-hoc reactions.
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