NHRC TASKS TEACHERS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION IN SCHOOLS

NHRC TASKS TEACHERS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION IN SCHOOLS

By: Michael Mike

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has charged teachers to take a leading role in promoting human rights in schools, warning that educating children on dignity, equality, tolerance and respect for others is critical to building a peaceful and just society.

The commission said Civic Education teachers and guidance counsellors must go beyond classroom instruction to equip students with the knowledge and confidence to recognise violations, reject discrimination and violence, and speak out against abuses of their rights.

The Director of Legal Services and Enforcement of the NHRC, Mrs. Rabi Anwar, gave the charge while representing the Executive Secretary of the commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu, at a human rights capacity-building workshop for Civic Education and Guidance and Counselling teachers in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Anwar described teachers as critical stakeholders in shaping the values, attitudes and conduct of the next generation of Nigerians, noting that their influence places them in a strategic position to nurture responsible citizens who understand both their rights and obligations.

She said the training was designed to strengthen teachers’ understanding of human rights principles and equip them with practical skills to integrate human rights education into classroom teaching, counselling, school management and extracurricular activities.

According to her, the knowledge acquired should translate into safer, more inclusive and peaceful learning environments where every child is treated with dignity and afforded equal opportunities to participate in school life.

She stressed that effective human rights education could not be achieved by teachers alone, but required sustained collaboration among school administrators, government institutions, parents, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

The workshop featured sessions on the foundations of human rights, the responsibilities of Civic Education teachers in promoting active citizenship, and the role of guidance counsellors in preventing and responding to violations affecting pupils.

A human rights education expert, Mr. Saka Azimazi, Esq., who facilitated one of the sessions, examined the historical development of human rights and the principles underpinning justice, dignity and respect for human life.

He traced key milestones in the evolution of human rights, from ancient legal codes and the Magna Carta to Enlightenment philosophy, the American and French declarations, and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Azimazi also explored the relationship between human rights, religion, morality and culture, including the debate between universal human rights principles and cultural relativism.

The session highlighted the historical and philosophical foundations of the rights framework, providing teachers with a basis for explaining human rights concepts to students in ways relevant to their everyday experiences.

Another human rights education expert, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwakanma, urged Civic Education teachers to create classrooms where students could express their views freely, participate in school activities and understand their rights and responsibilities without fear of intimidation or discrimination.

She encouraged teachers to promote student councils and peer education initiatives as practical avenues for nurturing participation, responsibility and respect for differing opinions among pupils.

Nwakanma maintained that schools should provide environments in which every child feels safe to contribute, regardless of background or personal circumstances, adding that meaningful participation was essential to developing active and responsible citizens.

In a related session, a guidance counsellor, Mrs. Henrietta Okechukwu, emphasised the importance of counsellors in protecting students from abuse and other forms of rights violations.

She said counsellors had a responsibility to prevent and identify violations early, provide appropriate support and ensure referrals where necessary in cases involving bullying, discrimination, violence, abuse, online harm and mental health distress.

Okechukwu urged counsellors to apply child-protection and education principles when handling school-related challenges, stressing the need to ensure that students’ rights were respected throughout the process.

She also underscored the importance of appropriate responses to complaints and concerns raised by students, particularly where their safety, dignity and well-being might be threatened.

The workshop reinforced the need to make human rights education an integral part of school life rather than treating it solely as a theoretical subject.

By equipping teachers and counsellors to identify violations, encourage participation and promote respect for human dignity, the NHRC seeks to strengthen the role of schools in preventing abuse and nurturing a generation better informed about human rights and civic responsibilities.

NHRC TASKS TEACHERS ON HUMAN RIGHTS PROTECTION IN SCHOOLS