School Sensitization Programmes Strengthen Child Rights Awareness Across Lagos Technical Colleges
DEVATOP Centre for Africa Development, in collaboration with the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), implemented a series of school sensitization programmes between 11th and 17th November 2025 across Government Technical Colleges (GTCs) in Agidingbi (Ikeja), Ikotun, and Epe, Lagos State. The initiative formed part of the Protect Child Domestic Workers from Maltreatment Programme, with a focus on educating students on child rights, child domestic work, and the promotion of safer behavioural choices within schools and communities.
With support from The Freedom Fund, funded by the United States Department of State, and the Foreign Aid Bridge Fund, hosted and managed by Panorama Global, the sensitization was designed to increase students’ awareness of child rights, deepen their understanding of the experiences and vulnerabilities of Child Domestic Workers (CDWs), and promote safer school and home environments. The programme also addressed critical social issues such as bullying, drug abuse, and cultism, while providing students with career guidance and psychosocial support.
The sensitization followed the success of an earlier intervention held at Government Technical College, Ado-Soba. Building on this impact, the Director of Counseling, Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Mrs. Okusanya, proposed extending the intervention to other technical colleges across the state.
Across the three schools, a total of 320 students participated in the programme, comprising 214 males and 107 females. The sensitization sessions were delivered by trained facilitators from DEVATOP and LASTVEB, using participatory and age-appropriate approaches to ensure effective engagement.
Key thematic sessions included child rights education, where students were introduced to core provisions of child rights instruments, emphasizing dignity, protection from harm, access to education, and non-discrimination. Facilitators stressed that Child Domestic Workers are entitled to the same rights and protections as every other child. Sessions on bullying and peer conduct highlighted its psychological and social consequences and encouraged empathy, inclusion, and respectful interactions, particularly towards vulnerable peers such as CDWs.
Students were also sensitized on the realities faced by Child Domestic Workers, including overwork, emotional abuse, and limited access to education. Discussions on drug abuse outlined its health and social risks and its links to exploitation and violence, while participants were informed about reporting mechanisms, including trusted teachers, community structures, DEVATOP’s TALKAM App, and hotlines such as the CeCe-Yara hotline (08008008001).
Further sessions addressed cultism prevention and career guidance, warning students about recruitment tactics and long-term consequences, while encouraging positive life choices, discipline, and focus on academic and vocational aspirations. Psychosocial support sessions equipped students with foundational skills for emotion management, stress coping, and help-seeking.
Each sensitization concluded with an interactive Child Rights Game developed by DEVATOP, which engaged students in identifying and categorizing different forms of abuse. The activity reinforced key child protection messages while fostering teamwork and peer learning.
The programme recorded strong participation, with 115 students reached in GTC Ikeja on 11th November, 146 students in GTC Ikotun on 12th November, and 59 students in GTC Epe on 13th November 2025. Overall, the intervention enhanced awareness of child rights, improved understanding of the risks associated with bullying, drug abuse, and cultism, strengthened knowledge of reporting channels for abuse and exploitation, and reinforced students’ motivation to remain focused on their education and future careers.
Stakeholders across the participating schools commended the initiative. Mrs. E.O. Betiku, Principal of GTC Agidingbi, appreciated DEVATOP and its funders for the timely and practical curriculum, noting an increase in bullying cases within the school and pledging to further disseminate the messages. At GTC Ikotun, the Head Boy, Divine Samuel, thanked DEVATOP and its partners for selecting the school and expressed hope for a return visit in 2026. At GTC Epe, Dr. Wole Ajifowoke encouraged students to apply the knowledge gained, emphasizing that focus and dedication are key to achieving their aspirations.
The school sensitization programme reaffirmed DEVATOP’s commitment to promoting child protection, preventing exploitation, and fostering safer, more respectful learning environments for all children, including Child Domestic Workers.
