As part of efforts to combat online child exploitation in Kwara State, over 5,000 students and 220 teachers across 42 schools in the state have been equipped with basic digital and online safety skills.
In a statement issued in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, the Executive Director of the Pristine SACC Education and Technology Initiative, Aisha Umar, stated that the training sessions, held over the past two months, were conducted by 14 participants of the group’s Child Sexual Abuse Materials (CSAM) Fellowship, which was launched in January 2025.
Umar also mentioned that, after receiving two-week comprehensive training, the fellows visited schools to raise awareness about CSAM and educate teachers and students on measures to protect themselves against online predators.
“Targeting students between the ages of 8 and 16 in urban, semi-urban, and rural areas, the initiative blended interactive workshops, multilingual communication, and real-life scenarios to address varying levels of digital literacy and online safety. Our fellows introduced them to topics such as phishing scams, privacy protection, and reporting mechanisms.
“The fellows used visual aids and role-playing exercises to provide students with practical skills to identify and respond to online threats while employing indigenous languages like Yoruba and Hausa to bridge comprehension gaps.
“Anonymous question boxes and gender-separate sessions fostered safe spaces for hesitant students, while posters and handouts reinforced key messages like ‘Think Before You Click’ and ‘The Internet Never Forgets’.”
She highlighted that, with the internet becoming an integral part of young people’s lives, the dangers associated with using digital platforms have increased. Hence, there is a need to educate and guide young people on how to navigate the internet responsibly and safely.
“This was why our organisation launched the StopCSAM campaign. Looking ahead, we aim to expand the campaign’s reach by prioritising underserved rural schools, launching teacher-parent workshops, and developing a digital safety curriculum. We also have plans to establish helplines and leverage social media campaigns to sustain engagement beyond school visits,” she said.
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