The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has inaugurated Students’ Anti-Corruption and Integrity Clubs in schools as part of efforts to build a new generation of ethical leaders.

Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Abuja, the Commission said the initiative forms part of its broader strategy to instill honesty, accountability, patriotism, and responsible citizenship among young Nigerians through value-based education.

The ICPC explained that since its establishment, it has implemented several interventions in the education sector, including the National Values Curriculum developed in partnership with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

The commission said the curriculum was introduced to nurture positive attitudes and behavioural change among students while promoting national values that transcend cultural and social differences.

It noted that the success of the curriculum created the need for platforms where students could consistently practice and promote these values, leading to the establishment of Students’ Anti-Corruption Clubs in secondary schools and Integrity Clubs in tertiary institutions across the country.

According to the ICPC, more than 20 million Nigerian students have benefited from integrity-based education since the programme began in 2003, making it one of the country’s largest value reorientation initiatives.

The Commission encouraged students to embrace integrity as a lifelong principle, urging them to respect their parents, teachers, and elders while remaining committed to acquiring knowledge and making ethical decisions.

The launch attracted the support of several stakeholders, including the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), which pledged to strengthen character education across private schools in the Federal Capital Territory.

Representing the National President of NAPPS, the chairman of the FCT chapter commended the ICPC for extending the initiative to private schools, noting that the association oversees more than 5,000 private schools and tens of thousands of teachers.

He described the Integrity Clubs as a timely intervention, stressing that education should focus not only on academic excellence but also on character development.

The association also announced plans to introduce a Parents’ Forum focused on promoting ethical values in homes, emphasizing that the fight against corruption must begin with families and schools.

The Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) reaffirmed its partnership with the ICPC, encouraging students to reject corruption and become ambassadors of positive change within their schools and communities.