The Tragic School Experience of Don Davis

This is the tragic story of Don Davis, a child who allegedly suffered physical and mental abuse at the hand of his seniors at his boarding school.

Don Davis Archibong is an 11-year-old boy, in JSS1 class of Deeper Life High School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria. On December 20th, 2020, Don Davis’s mother, Mrs. Deborah Okezie, shared a video which featured her son; where she lamented about how he had been mistreated at his boarding school.

The video garnered a lot of attention on online platforms and a call for justice was made for Don Davis. Since then, she has made a few more emotionally charged online appearances. Some of these include her son directly sharing his experience.

Watch the video on YouTube here

Don Davis was initially placed in the junior hostel at the school. In his Facebook live with his mum, he shared how one of the teachers allegedly assaults him because he’s bedwetting; saying, “When I got to Deeper Life school, Mr. Akpan used a belt on me because I was bedwetting. He went on to say that infact, the teacher reportedly hit him with anything he sees. According to him, the list of items even included an iron, belt, or even a stone. He was apparently moved to the senior hostel because of his bedwetting.

This was the beginning of his alleged molestation by some of his seniors in the hostel. He shared that there were two boys who would sexually and physically abuse him. In addition he shared that for  two weeks he did not have his bath. Sadly, he went on to say that he did not report the incident for fear of his life. 

You can watch the Facebook video shared by his mother HERE. She is adamant on getting justice for her son. In a particuarly emotional video she shared how she felt she had been mistreated while trying to help her son.

The Response from the School and Church

Following the alleged molestation report circulating round the public, Deeper Life Church released a statement on their twitter account platform on the 21st of December 2020; to inform the public that they have commenced investigation on the case. Assuring that the overall outcome of the investigation will be available to the public; and appropriate disciplinary actions will be meted to all culprits.

Public Notice pic.twitter.com/6zDPxjYXiD

— Deeper Life Bible Church (@dclmhq) December 21, 2020

On the 29th of December 2020, video and written statement updates were released by the Educational Secretary of the school, Mrs Thelma Malaka; stating that police authorities are curently investigating the matter; and that the school has been invited to share their side of the story.

The Statement by Mrs Thelma Malaka, Education Secretary, @DlhsHq, on the Don Davis' Case. https://t.co/fqIlCyrq0B pic.twitter.com/Waje1qhUVU

— Deeper Life Bible Church (@dclmhq) December 29, 2020

Message to Parents and Guardians

This tragic happening with Don Davis will beg the question in the mind of parents, “Should I enroll my child in Boarding school?”, or “Is Day schooling the best option for my Child?”

The reality is that parents should be careful and very thorough when deciding on the choice of school. They need to be certain of the schooling environment they send their child to for their utmost welfare and safety.

Both boarding and day schools can offer challenges to children, especially if its a new environment. Some of these could include bullying, loneliness, anxiety, and so on; therefore, parents should monitor their children through school management and ensure frequent communication. The questions parents ask their children when they get back from school every day or a boarding school environment should be such that parents can get a real sense of their child’s experiences. 

View our School Directory Category for the best schools for your child/children.

Read also the importance of mental wellness in teenagers and youth. importance of mental wellness in teenagers and youth.