Bullying is an anti-social behaviour — Edun

The Administrator, Grace Schools, Gbagada, Lagos, Mrs. Olatokunbo Edun, has that bullying is an anti-social behaviour which should not be tolerated in schools. She added that school managements should take steps to educate pupils on the dangers of bullying their colleagues and deal decisively with the situation whenever it occurs.

Edun spoke on Tuesday at a briefing to address an allegation of bullying which reportedly involved a pupil of the school.

A newspaper report, (not The Punch) had alleged that a pupil of the school was bullied and pushed by another pupil on the play ground, leading to a fracture of one of her legs.

But the educationist, who denied the allegations, said the publication was a misrepresentation of facts, adding that the school had a strict policy on bullying and other anti-social behaviours.  According to Edun, the school made efforts to treat the pupil and provided dedicated transport for her as a result of her injury.

“It was not a case of bullying as the pupil fell down while running out of the dining room across the field on a rainy day. There were other children on the field and when they were questioned, none of them saw anybody push her. The pupil was attended to and given treatment. A car and a driver were provided for her, for ease of transportation. We were reaching a settlement of the entire issue before the publication.

“It was a misrepresentation of what happened. We have given out scholarship to 30 but brilliant indigent pupils up to university level since 2004. I judge a person by the way they treat young people and the less-privileged. Every pupil signs an anti-bullying document and the case in view was not a case of bullying. The school does not and will not condole bullying,” she said.

Also giving his remarks, the Chairman, of the Parent-Teacher-Association of the school, Mr. Steve Onyema, said no case of bullying had ever been reported to the association.

“I have two children here and I have been part of the school for at least four years. No parent has ever reported to us that his or her child was being bullied. We all have our challenges and I think the association would have been a better forum for the parents,’’ he said.