ABUJA: The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill seeking to prevent and prohibit sexual harassment of students in educational institutions and learning environments across the country.
The legislation, which scaled its third reading on Tuesday, originated from the House of Representatives as a concurrent bill aimed at protecting students from all forms of sexual misconduct and abuse within academic settings.
It also establishes a clear legal framework for the enforcement of penalties against offenders.
During deliberations, several lawmakers commended the objectives of the bill but urged that its scope be expanded beyond educational institutions. Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC, Edo North) argued that the law should have a wider application to cover other areas of society.
There is no need to limit sexual harassment issues to students alone. The law should be framed to address the problem across all sectors, he said.
Similarly, Senator Anthony Ani stressed that harassment is not confined to schools but occurs in workplaces and other public spaces.
Sexual harassment is everywhere. Restricting this bill to tertiary institutions is a missed opportunity,he said.
However, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, who presided over the session, clarified that since the legislation is a concurrent bill from the House, the Senate could only make minor amendments and not alter its substance.
He further explained that other existing laws already address workplace harassment and related offences.
After brief deliberations, the bill was unanimously passed for third reading, marking a significant step toward strengthening the legal protection of students against sexual misconduct within Nigeria’s education system.
