GBV: Stakeholders task teachers on safe schools 

To address concerns over growing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in schools, stakeholders in child education and protection have tasked Nigerian teachers on the introduction of a code of conduct in schools.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and founding member of the Development Research and Projects Center, (dRPC), Dr Judith Ann-Walker, said concerted efforts by stakeholders in the education sector is critical to curb increasing cases of GBV either on the way to schools or in the schools.

She stated this at a two-day national online conference and panel discussion organised by dRPC, in partnership with the United Nations Educational Science and Cultural Organisation, (UNESCO).

Ford Foundation and Teachers’ Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), yesterday, in Abuja.

Ann-Walker described GBV as a menace that leads to increasing early marriage among girls of school age, teenage pregnancies, thereby fuelling cultural discrimination that is incapacitating the ability of the Nigerian girl to attain her potential and contribute to national growth.

Represented by Senior Advisor on Education, dRPC, Dr. Judith Giwa-Amu, the CEO noted that the conference theme, ‘The Prospect of Introducing a School Code of Conduct to Address Cases of Gender Based Violence within the Basic Education Schools Syste: Promoting Cross Learning and a Community of Practices Around Teachers Leadership in Schools Safety,’ will chart a path for safe schools in Nigeria.

“The dRPC has partnered TRCN to facilitate the participation of 25 to 45 teachers per centre in Kano (North West), FCT and Akwa Ibom (South South) on the making schools safe for our children,” she added.