The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged Civic Education and Guidance and Counselling teachers to promote human rights awareness among students and foster a culture of dignity, equality, tolerance and respect in schools.
The Commission said teachers have a critical role to play in educating students about their rights and responsibilities while encouraging them to reject discrimination, violence and other forms of human rights violations.
The Director of Legal Services and Enforcement of the Commission, Mrs Rabi Anwar, who represented the Executive Secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, gave the charge at a human rights capacity-building workshop for Civic Education and Guidance and Counselling teachers in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Anwar said teachers were strategically positioned to shape the values and attitudes of young Nigerians by helping them understand their rights, appreciate diversity and develop the confidence to speak out against human rights abuses.
According to her, the workshop was designed to strengthen teachers’ understanding of human rights principles and equip them with the skills to integrate human rights education into classroom teaching, counselling, school management and other educational activities.
She urged participants to apply the knowledge gained to create safe, inclusive, peaceful and rights-respecting learning environments.
Anwar also stressed the need for collaboration among teachers, school administrators, government institutions, parents, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to ensure the effective promotion of human rights education.
During the workshop, a human rights education expert, Mr Saka Azimazi, trained participants on the meaning, historical development and fundamental principles of human rights, highlighting the importance of justice, dignity and respect for human life.
Azimazi examined key milestones in the evolution of human rights, including ancient legal codes, the Magna Carta, Enlightenment philosophy, the American and French declarations, and the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He also discussed the relationship between human rights, religion, morality and culture, as well as the debate surrounding universalism and cultural relativism.
Another human rights education expert, Mrs Ifeoma Nwakanma, highlighted the role of Civic Education teachers in promoting human rights awareness and encouraging active student participation in school activities.
She urged teachers to create classrooms where students could freely express their views, understand their rights and responsibilities, and participate meaningfully in school life.
Nwakanma also encouraged the establishment and strengthening of student councils and peer education initiatives, stressing the need to ensure that classrooms remain free from fear, discrimination and intimidation.
Similarly, a guidance counsellor, Mrs Henrietta Okechukwu, emphasised the role of counsellors in preventing, identifying and responding to human rights violations in schools.
She said counsellors had a responsibility to identify cases of bullying, discrimination, violence, abuse, online harm and mental health distress, while ensuring that affected students received appropriate support and referrals.
Okechukwu urged counsellors to apply child-protection and educational principles when addressing school-related challenges, stressing that the rights and welfare of every student must be respected and protected.
