Nigerian govt takes tough stand, issues new directive on bullying, physical assault in schools

The Ministry of Education has taken a tough stance on student violence, warning that any student found guilty of physical assault leading to bodily injury will be suspended indefinitely from Unity Colleges.

This directive is in response to the alarming rise in cruel acts of physical assault among students, which has become a growing concern for the ministry.

According to a memo signed on Monday by the Permanent Secretary, Nasir Gwarzo, the ministry’s attention was drawn to the escalating problem of student violence, prompting the need for more severe penalties.

“The attention of the ministry has been drawn to the cruel and inhuman acts of physical assault that inflict bodily injury on other students by fellow students or groups of students,” the memo read.

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The ministry’s decision comes on the heels of a recent incident at the Federal Government College, Enugu, where 13 students were suspended for six weeks for allegedly bullying their fellow students. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, had ordered the suspension to pave the way for a thorough investigation into the incident.

The ministry’s new directive is aimed at curbing the growing menace of student-on-student violence in private and government colleges across the country.

“In addition to the punishments in the ministry’s approved uniform guidelines for offences and punishments, the ministry has directed that henceforth, any student or group of students found culpable of physical assault leading to bodily injury on another student or group of students will be suspended indefinitely from the college,” the memo stated.

College administrators have been instructed to strictly comply with the new directive and to inform Student-Based Management Committee members and parents accordingly.

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