President Bola Tinubu has reiterated his administration’s commitment to providing a safe, inclusive, and empowering learning environment for Nigerian children, using this year’s National Children’s Day to call for decisive action against bullying and violence in schools.
In a message delivered on Tuesday to commemorate Children’s Day 2025, the President outlined ongoing efforts to uphold children’s rights and expand access to education, regardless of their social or economic background.
“We have introduced a National Policy on Safety, Security, and Violence-Free Schools and developed comprehensive Guidelines for School Administrators,” Tinubu said. “These steps are part of broader measures to build a Nigeria where no child suffers in silence or is left behind.”
He noted that the government had integrated social-emotional learning and child safeguarding components into teacher training programmes nationwide. These reforms, he said, are designed to equip educators with the skills to support students emotionally and to prevent abuse, bullying, and neglect.
The President also drew attention to the newly established National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children, which aims to create inclusive learning opportunities for marginalised children.
“This commission is helping us ensure that every child—whether in urban or rural areas, from privileged or underprivileged backgrounds-has the opportunity to learn, thrive, and succeed,” he said.
Tinubu’s remarks come amid troubling statistics indicating that up to 65 per cent of school-age children in Nigeria have experienced some form of physical or emotional aggression.
“This is unacceptable,” he declared. “A child who learns in fear cannot learn well, and a child who grows in fear cannot grow right.”
