The Founding Executive Secretary of the National Identification Authority (NIA), Prof Ernest Kwaku Dumor, has spoken about bullying in schools, revealing he was a victim.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ Personality Profile on Friday, he said during his school days at Bishop Herman College, he was subjected to severe maltreatment.

“When I got to Bishop Herman College, there were few of my seniors who were taught by my father in elementary school. And because of my father’s attitude towards discipline, these young boys were disciplined so I became a victim when I came to Bishop Herman,” he said.

Narrating his ordeal of how the bullying started, he said when he was sent to the boarding house, he had a pillow with an embroidery that read “Meva do” meaning I have arrived.

He said one of his seniors who was disciplined by his father during elementary upon seeing the embroidery was furious and questioned him “You have arrived for what?”

According to him, since then, the senior subjected him to severe maltreatment.

Prof Kwaku Dumor said there was no way of escape from the bullying, adding that the only escape plan he hatched was to pack his belongings and leave the school.

However, one fateful day when he was being bullied by his senior, a friend came to his rescue.

“I had a friend – a wonderful friend who was much bigger and tougher and when I was being maltreated, he came from nowhere to rescue me and this senior was so embarrassed that someone who was his junior had to discipline him and he saved my life,” he narrated.

As a result, Prof Kwaku Dumor said he is strongly opposed to bullying in schools.

Read also: https://myjoyonline.com/my-fathers-warning-instigated-serious-learning-habits-in-me-prof-ernest-dumor/

He explained that physical maltreatment does not bring about change but rather makes people defiant.

He added that in cases “where the bullying is out of the way, it can drive people crazy.”

According to him, although during his time at Bishop Herman College, there was some sort of bullying, “many of our seniors were quite accommodating and encouraging.”