Queen’s College Condemns Bullying, Violence in Schools

Uchechukwu Nnaike

The Principal, Queen’s College, Lagos, Dr. Tokunbo Yakubu-Oyinloye, has reiterated the school’s zero-tolerance for bullying and violence, urging students to live together as a family.

Speaking at the school’s recent 60th inter-house sports competition, she also appealed to parents to talk to their children, relate well with them and let them know that bullying and fighting are not part of their aim for coming to school.

As part of the zero-tolerance for bullying and violence, the principal said the junior students are taught to be assertive, not aggressive, and speak up when bullied.

She said senior students were often reminded to treat the juniors how they treat their younger ones at home. “If you cannot slap, beat, maltreat or injure your younger ones at home, don’t come and do it in school,” she said.
She added, “Our newest slogan is ‘Torch ‘n Go’. If you bully a child, you are de-boarded, it means you cannot stay with other students.”

Yakubu-Oyinloye said the sports competition also inculcated the spirit of unity in the students.
As members of different houses, she said they learn to come together to identify talents and assign tasks to individuals based on their capabilities.

The principal added: “We believe in academic excellence, moral uprightness, integrity in character and also in sports development, hence, the need for Inter-house sports competition.”

The chairman of the occasion, an APC chieftain, Owoeye Adedeji, described sports as a unifying factor in the country. He called for more government’s investment in the sector to encourage more participation.
While also condemning bullying in schools, he advised parents to maintain a good relationship with their children and always make time to listen to them.

He said there should be constant engagement between parents and schools to assess the progress and well-being of their children.