Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has called on stakeholders in the education sector to take a firm stand and speak out against the growing menace of bullying, which has become a serious concern in both public and private schools.
The governor made this appeal during a one-day strategic workshop held in commemoration of the 2025 International Children’s Day in Ondo State. The event brought together a diverse group of education stakeholders, including teachers, school administrators, educationists, and policymakers.
Held under the theme “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bully-Free Generation,” the workshop aimed to raise awareness and promote actionable solutions to curb bullying in schools.
Delivering the governor’s address, the Chairman of the Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Victor Olabimtan, described the theme as timely and significant, noting the growing negative impact of bullying on children and young adults. He stressed the importance of intensified awareness campaigns and the creation of safe, inclusive learning environments where children can grow without fear of intimidation or harassment.
Governor Aiyedatiwa also called for stronger collaboration between stakeholders and the state government to completely eradicate bullying in all its forms.
Meanwhile, the Ondo State Government has unveiled a series of activities to commemorate the 2025 Children’s Day celebration.
Speaking at a press briefing held at the Women Affairs Hall, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Seun Osamaye, emphasized that the National Children’s Day is celebrated annually to honour, recognise, and engage with children across the state, particularly those in primary and secondary schools.
She explained that the purpose of the celebration is to inform and sensitise children about the government’s efforts to improve their lives and to reaffirm its continuous investment in child development and education.
Dr. Osamaye revealed that several competitions will be held in different categories to identify outstanding students who will represent their schools and local government areas. The aim, she said, is to encourage intellectual growth, promote a reading culture, and foster academic seriousness among pupils and students.
She added that the workshop, chaired by the SUBEB Chairman, would also feature the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, who would speak on the Child Rights Law.
The theme for this year’s celebration, “Stand Up, Speak Up: Building a Bully-Free Generation,” is designed to ensure all stakeholders align with the outlined activities and take the message back to their respective schools and institutions in preparation for the upcoming competitions.
Dr. Osamaye also disclosed that on Tuesday, the Ondo State Children’s Parliament would visit the State House of Assembly to observe plenary proceedings and interact with the Speaker.
“The Ondo State Children’s Parliament, which has been moribund for over a decade, is now being revived. Tomorrow, the children will be introduced to the Speaker and will observe the plenary session with the support of Safety Children International,” she announced.
She further stated that the children will participate in a two-day orientation programme between Wednesday and Thursday, where they will be trained on their parliamentary roles and responsibilities.
On Friday, a pre-rehearsal will be held in preparation for the main event scheduled for next Tuesday. Activities on the day will include a series of competitions.
The first event will be a public speaking competition based on the theme, featuring 18 selected schools, each represented by their best speaker. A total of 2,500 children from 100 schools across the state are expected to attend.
Each school will also present a cultural display to showcase the unique heritage of their locality. A march-past will also take place.
Dr. Osamaye announced that winners of the competitions will be rewarded with cash prizes. The first-place winner will receive a grand prize of ₦500,000; the second-place winner, ₦200,000; and the third-place winner, ₦100,000.
“These prizes and trophies are meant to promote unity, love, and active engagement among our students,” she concluded.