Before You Sign the Boarding Form: Questions Nigerian Parents Should Ask After March 2026

In March 2026, Nigerians watched videos showing older boarders beating younger pupils at two private schools: Igbinedion Education Centre in Benin City and Lead British International School in Abuja. The Benin City footage was from March, while the Lead British footage, which first came to light in 2024, was being shared again at the same time. The public response was strong, and schools came under considerable pressure to show that they had proper anti-bullying policies and reporting systems that children could trust.

I have written about these videos several times. But today, I want to speak directly to parents who are currently reading school prospectuses and visiting campuses as they consider where their children will go next September.

Many parents have shared the same concern with me. They still believe boarding school can offer children a good education and experience, but after March, they are less certain about what to look for and what questions to ask. I understand that concern. This article is for you.

What March showed us

Channels Television reported that "In the footage circulating on social media, two students were seen repeatedly beating, kicking and dragging a boy". It also reported that "another student, believed to be recording the video, pleaded with the attackers to stop."

That child holding the phone is something I keep thinking about. Rather than feeling confident that an adult would step in, the child recorded what was happening.

ActionAid Nigeria reminded us that "every child has the fundamental right to safety, dignity, and protection from all forms of violence". Its Country Director, Andrew Mamedu, was equally clear: "The events represent a failure of duty of care by multiple actors within the education and governance systems." He also said, "This is not an isolated incident. It is one too many", and warned that "Action is frequently triggered only when incidents go viral".

That last point is particularly important. We should not have to wait for a video to circulate online before a school takes action. As parents, we need to ask the right questions before our children start boarding, not wait until something goes wrong.

Is boarding still safe?

I do not think the answer is to close every boarding house. Many families depend on boarding schools because of distance, work commitments or the quality of schools available in their local areas. For many children, boarding can also be a positive experience.

Pastor Nero Bodam told the Guardian that "boarding schools are still a safe option for students." Dideolu Adekogbe of the Bring Back Primary 6 Movement offered a more cautious view: "In my opinion, not all boarding schools are safe".

I believe both statements are worth considering. Boarding can work well, but the quality of care and supervision makes a significant difference. This is why parents must take the school selection process seriously.

Toyin Ijagbemi-Eni, a teacher in Ibadan, expressed something I would like every school owner to consider: "Boarding school is a second home for school children and must be taken seriously". She also offered parents some difficult but important advice: "if you can't afford a good boarding school, please keep your children at home,"

I know this may not be easy advice to follow, particularly for families who need boarding arrangements. However, we must be honest about the responsibility involved. A school must be able to provide the care and protection it promises.

The questions I would ask

Who is in the hostel at night?

Ask how many adults are responsible for each boarding house, whether they sleep in or near the hostel, and what training they have received in child protection. Kemi Koleowo of the Concerned Parents and Educators Initiative said, "These housemasters/home mistresses are to be on the ground 24/7".

Do not be satisfied with hearing that the school has housemasters and housemistresses. Ask to meet them. Find out what their responsibilities are and how children can reach them when they need help. Knowing the people responsible for your child's care is much more useful than simply reading about them in a prospectus.

What power do seniors have over juniors?

This question is especially important because the relationship between older and younger boarders was central to both videos. Ijagbemi-Eni was clear: "Under no circumstance should any senior be allowed to beat junior students, they are all children".

Ask the school whether prefects or senior pupils have any authority to discipline younger pupils. If they do, find out exactly what that authority involves and how the school makes sure it is not abused. Older pupils can be given responsibilities, but they must never be allowed to take the place of adults or use their position to intimidate younger children.

How does a child report something without being seen?

Children need to feel that they can report bullying or other concerns without being embarrassed, threatened or punished. In 2024, when the Federal Ministry of Education summoned Lead British, the Permanent Secretary "inquired about the existence of an anonymous suggestion box at the School". Parents should ask the same question during school visits.

However, the existence of a suggestion box is only the starting point. Ask what happens after a child makes a complaint. Who receives it? Who investigates it? How quickly does the school respond? What protection is available for a child who reports another pupil? Most importantly, ask whether children know how to use the reporting system and whether they trust it.

What happened the last time?

No school is likely to have a completely incident-free history. What matters is how it responds when something happens. Ask the school to describe a previous incident, without revealing the names of the children involved. Find out what action was taken and what the school changed afterwards.

A school that can explain how it has learnt from a difficult situation gives parents more useful information than one that simply insists that everything is fine. Be cautious if the answer is that nothing has ever happened. Theresa Christopher, an Abuja parent, told Leadership that "most times, schools do not tell us what really happens behind the scenes."

Parents need honest communication. We cannot make informed decisions if schools only share the good news and keep difficult issues from us.

Who checks the school?

Adeyemi Samson Ajasa of the National Association of Nigerian Students observed that "Most schools do not operate a centralised or standardised disciplinary system backed by the government." Parents like Patrick Ochalla have called for "independent oversight of every school's disciplinary systems."

Until this kind of oversight is available everywhere, parents should ask how the school reviews its own disciplinary procedures. Find out who is responsible for checking that rules are followed and whether the Parent Teacher Association has any role. Koleowo believes "Parents/Teachers Associations should be involved in running boarding facilities".

I agree that parents should have a meaningful way to contribute. Their involvement should not end when they pay the school fees or attend parents' meetings. They should have opportunities to raise concerns and understand how boarding facilities are managed.

Is there a counsellor?

A child's wellbeing involves more than physical safety. Children also need emotional support, particularly when they are living away from home. Bodam said, "Counsellors should be employed in all schools to counsel students from time to time."

Ask whether the school has a qualified counsellor, how many pupils that person is responsible for and how children can arrange to see them. Also ask whether a child can speak to the counsellor privately, without first having to obtain a teacher's permission. A counsellor should be someone children feel comfortable approaching, not simply another name on the staff list.

Talk to the children, not only the head

A school prospectus will usually present the school in the best possible light. That is understandable. But parents also need to hear from the children who actually live and learn there. Ajasa advised that "Parents should engage widely, even with their children's peers, to get honest feedback."

When you visit, ask whether you can speak with a few junior pupils. Where possible, have these conversations without a teacher or senior pupil standing beside them. Pay attention to the answers, but also to how comfortable the children seem when speaking with you.

Look around the boarding facilities. Visit the toilets and dormitories, not just the classrooms and science laboratory. Consider whether the facilities are clean, properly maintained and suitable for the number of children using them.

Your responsibility does not end once your child starts school. Keep communicating with them. Ask how they are settling in and whether they feel comfortable approaching the adults responsible for their care. During holidays, pay attention to changes in their sleep, appetite and mood. These changes may have different explanations, but they are worth noticing and discussing.

The psychologist Sanusi Faizu has warned that "Bullying can impair a student's self-concept and identity formation, leading to low self-esteem and internalised negative beliefs." Sometimes, children do not tell us directly that something is wrong. We need to make time for conversations and give them the confidence to speak honestly.

Our part at home

Schools have an important responsibility, but parents also have a role to play in helping children understand how to treat others. ActionAid reminded us that "Parents and guardians must foster values of empathy, respect, and non-violence in their children".

The children who were beating others in those videos were also someone's children. We must remember that when we discuss bullying. We should not only teach our children how to protect themselves. We must also teach them never to hurt, intimidate or humiliate another child.

Before sending a child to boarding school, talk about what they should do if they see another pupil being hurt. Discuss how they can seek help from a trusted adult and what they should do if an older pupil tells them to hurt someone else. Make it clear that they should never feel pressured to join in or remain silent because of fear.

When the Ministry met Lead British, the school said that "appropriate measures had been taken in response to the incidents". As parents and school leaders, we should be careful about accepting statements like this without asking for an explanation. What measures were taken? Were the children involved protected? Were the issues investigated? What has changed to prevent a similar situation? We should not be afraid to ask these questions.

Parents have more influence than they sometimes realise, particularly when choosing a school. Use that opportunity wisely. Ask questions, visit schools, speak to pupils and pay attention to how school leaders respond. If possible, visit at different times rather than relying on a carefully arranged tour. Choose a school that is open and honest about its responsibilities, rather than one that simply gives polished answers.

A boarding house should be a second home. March 2026 reminded us why that responsibility must never be taken lightly. Our responsibility now is to make sure that every child who needs help can find a trusted adult who will listen, respond and protect them. That is the standard we should expect from every boarding school, and it is a standard we should be willing to insist on.

References

1. Igwe, Ignatius. "Police Probe Viral Igbinedion School Assault Case." Channels Television, 15 March 2026. https://www.channelstv.com/2026/03/15/police-probe-viral-igbinedion-school-assault-case/

2. Guardian Nigeria. "ActionAid Condemns Recent Bullying at Igbinedion Education Center." March 2026. https://guardian.ng/?p=2803852

3. Tyohemba, Henry. "Terror in Classrooms: Inside Nigeria's School Bullying Menace." Leadership, 22 March 2026, via AllAfrica. https://allafrica.com/stories/202603230539.html

4. Guardian Nigeria. "Revisiting Boarding System to Attain All-Round Students Development." Guardian Education. https://guardian.ng/?p=1785788

5. Federal Ministry of Education, Nigeria. "Federal Ministry of Education Summons Lead British International School Over Allegations of Bullying." 24 April 2024. https://fmino.gov.ng/federal-ministry-of-education-summons-lead-british-international-school-over-allegations-of-bullying/