In our last newsletter,
We concluded a two-part series on mental illness where we addressed one of the impediments to receiving proper mental healthcare in our society— stereotypes.
My Dear Reader, if you followed the conversation properly, you would know that there are certain beliefs about mental illness that are harmful, not just to people who currently have a mental illness but to people who may need help in days to come.
Enough said, can we dive in now?
In the later part of January, the media space was set aflame with the tragic news of a five-year-old pupil who was abducted and gruesomely murdered by a school owner and her teacher after collecting a ransom from her distraught family.
This incident comes up shortly after the murder of a student from Dowen College which also caused outrage from parents, school associations and the general public.
It is perplexing and a dire cause for concern that the school which is supposed to be a sacred ground for learning is now a house of horrors.
If we are keeping things honest My Dear Reader, you would admit that our schools have not been safe for a very long time. However, it is not until the next worst thing happens to a child that we begin to take practical steps to ensure the security of our schools.
What practical steps??
It is a known fact that many schools are in the hands of nefarious characters. How many schools operate without the license of the federal and state governments? How many school owners and administrators have run background checks on the people that are employed in their schools? Does the government properly verify the identities of the school owners who receive their licenses? Who ensures that the school environment is safe and conducive for learning?
These are some of the questions we should be asking. It is time to quit being passive about the issues that plague our education system.
The time to take action is now…
For this reason, the Association of Nigerian Educational Psychologists (ANEP) is set to hold a training program on the 23rd of February 2022 by 4:30 PM (WAT).
Guess what, the training program is virtual and free!
Thank you for staying with us today. See you next week.
Cheers,
Ewoma Omoghene