On Thursday, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) revealed that over 50 per cent of Nigerian children suffered physical violence in schools.
This was disclosed by Ms Ladi Alabi, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Bauchi Field Office, on Thursday at the ongoing Child Protection System Strengthening (CPSS) meeting in Gombe.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was at the instance of UNICEF with support of European Union (EU), United Nations (UN) and other relevant international organisations.
Alabi stressed that the statistics emanated from the 2014 survey that was conducted by the National Population Commission (NPC), which revealed that Nigerian children suffer high prevalence of all forms of violence.
She further said that a high percentage of children also suffered physical violence within the family setting and the immediate environment.
Teachers are the most perpetrators of the first incidence of physical violence for children in Nigeria.
“Statistics shows that over 50 per cent of children in Nigeria suffer physical violence in schools.
“Also, 35.5 per cent of girls and 34.1 per cent of boys suffer physical violence within the family and immediate environment.So, parents and adult relatives are the most common perpetrators of physical violence in childhood,” she said.
Alabi called on teachers to desist from administering corporal punishments on children and adopt modern and softer ways of instilling discipline in children without necessarily infringing on their rights.
The child protection specialist urged government at all levels to support the fight aimed at stemming incidence of violence against children.
She also charged parents and caregivers to ensure that Nigerians children get better future; a future free of violence at all levels.
Source: NAN
