In a bid to curb the rising incidence of sexual-related violence in educational institutions, teachers and lecturers across the country are now obligated to sign the Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Code of Conduct form. This initiative aligns with the recently launched standard operating procedure by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Education for prosecuting gender-based violence cases within schools in Nigeria.
The code of conduct prohibits teachers from engaging in sexual relationships with direct beneficiaries aged 18 to 24 and emphasizes the prohibition of inappropriate physical contact, such as holding, hugging, or touching students in culturally insensitive ways. Additionally, educators are not allowed to spend time alone with students in secluded areas.
The form includes a commitment statement from teachers to refrain from any form of sexual activity with students, regardless of their age, outside the school environment. It also prohibits engaging in exploitative behavior or using language that is offensive, abusive, or culturally inappropriate towards students. The government, through the standard operating procedure, directs learning institutions to implement robust recruitment procedures aimed at detecting potential perpetrators of sexual offenses against students.
The recruitment process includes written character references, verification of references, a signed statement of commitment to the state Ministry of Women in alignment with the Child Protection Policy, an affidavit of good behavior in interactions with children, and thorough background checks, including checking the sex offenders’ register.
While sexual harassment remains a persistent concern in Nigerian educational institutions, the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, declined to comment on the development, stating that he had not yet received a copy of the standard operating procedure. Cases such as the ongoing trial of a University of Calabar Law professor accused of sexually harassing students underscore the urgency of implementing preventative measures within educational institutions nationwide.
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