Pupils of Community Junior High School, Wasimi, Maryland, have been told not to be silent witnesses to bullying.
They were sensitised during an anti-bullying seminar organised by the Rotary Club of Maryland, Ikeja District 9110 held at the school.
Chairman of the club’s Basic Education and Literacy Committee, Dr. Grace Bamigboye, said as much as bullying is a vice, it is not good to witness it and do nothing.
“Bullying is not to be tolerated. When you see someone being bullied don’t be a bystander,” she said.
She identified the types of bullying as physical, verbal, social, and cyberbullying.
Rather than laugh, join in or be silent when witnessing bullying, she counselled the pupils to report to an adult or tell the bully to stop the act.
The programme also featured the donation of exercise books to some pupils and the inauguration of a storey building built in partnership with the Chris Bamidele Onalaja Foundation.
The club’s President, Mr.Bamidele Onalaja, who also runs the Foundation with his wife, Tolulope, said the building, which has a hall, principal’s office, three classrooms and a staff- room, was constructed based on the school’s needs assessment.
He said the building, which was handed over with classroom furniture, would be maintained by the club.
He said: “We have three classrooms that can take 150 pupils; then we have a staffroom that is en-suite. We want the teachers to be comfortable. We have the principal’s office upstairs and then a big hall. It is well structured and planned for the children and teachers. By the time we hand over this hall today we are planning to work with them to maintain it so that by the time we come back in two or three years time, it will still remain beautiful,” he said.
Mrs. Onalaja, CEO of the foundation, said the body collaborated with the club on the project by imbibing the Rotary culture of giving.
“We actually believe so much that the children are the future of any country and we really need to pay attention to them. They need to learn in a befitting environment, so I am particularly happy with this project,” she said.
