INFLUENCE OF BULLYING ON OUT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN IN NIGERIA

Bullying has detrimental long-term effects on both the bully and the victims, often contributing to school dropout, emotional distress, and poor academic achievement. This study examined the influence of bullying on out-of-school children at the basic education level in South-South Zone, Nigeria. A mixed methods research design was adopted. The target population comprised over 41, 065,000 students, 4,707 principals, and 314 supervisors across public and private secondary schools in the zone. Through a multistage sampling technique, a total of 180 students, 12 school principals, and 36 education supervisors were selected. Data were collected using the School Bully Questionnaire (reliability coefficient r = 0.84) and a Key Informant Interview (KII) guide. Analysis involved descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean) for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative data. Findings showed that verbal bullying (M = 2.78) was the most prevalent, followed by physical and social bullying (M = 2.69 each). Sexual (M = 2.48) and cyberbullying (M = 2.46) were least reported. Over 51.4% of students acknowledged bullying as common in their schools; 48.3% reported being bullied by seniors, while 5.6% admitted intent to bully others. Causes identified included peer pressure, lack of discipline, and poor school monitoring, while consequences included school dropout and passive classroom participation. The study concluded that bullying remains a significant barrier to inclusive education in South-South Nigeria. It recommends that state governments implement and enforce anti-bullying legislation, facilitated through education ministries, school authorities, and law enforcement agencies.