The bullying video that surfaced from a reputable school in Nigeria last week is heartbreaking.
As usual, we will make noise for a few days.
We will celebrate the expulsion of the student involved.
And then we will move on.
But let me ask a difficult question.
Does expelling one child solve the problem when bullying has already become a culture in the school?
Many years ago we raised awareness about “fukarama” in several private schools. A few schools expelled some students to save face. But did that truly remove the culture?
The truth is this: removing a child does not automatically remove a culture.
As a parent, you owe your child a serious duty of care. You must take time to troubleshoot the child protection systems in the school your child attends.
Ask the hard questions:
* How does the school prevent bullying?
* What mentoring structures exist for students?
* What happens before incidents escalate?
But beyond the school, you also owe it to yourself to prepare your child for life.
A child who is emotionally unprepared, socially unaware, or lacking confidence can easily become a victim or even unknowingly become part of the problem. Over the last five years, we have been implementing the Ready for Life values-driven curriculum in several private schools, and the transformation has been massive. (You can ask your child’s school to reach out to us if they want to implement it)
Beyond that, we created a weekly mentoring hub for children ages 8–18, where young people are intentionally prepared with the emotional intelligence, values, and life skills needed to navigate the real world. If your child is within that age range and lives in Nigeria and has not joined this mentoring community, you should seriously consider it https://www.familyhouseafrica.com/ready-for-life
Since last week our Nigerian office has received many requests from parents asking us to conduct assessments for their children and create interventions for those already affected by bullying.
But here is the truth.
We must become a people who prevent problems; not a people who only react when there is breaking news.
One untrained child can damage years of investment you have made in your own child if you do not proactively prepare them.
Now is the time.
If you would like us to support your child or your school with mentoring, assessments, or intervention programs, please reach out +2348125120410
Let’s work together to prepare our children for life not just school.
