Beyond education: Taking child safety seriously in schools

Child safety is very paramount in school's, not only from a welfare point of view, but from a health and safety perspective as well.

Child abuse is very rampant in schools these days. Teachers who are entrusted with taking care of students in their care are usually the perpetrators. Worse of all, is when the school where such gross acts of child abuse takes place, is in denial of such abuse.

To this end, schools and other key important stakeholders cannot afford to be lax when it comes to the issue of child safety and protection in schools. Each school must have a legally binding Child Protection Policy that safeguards the welfare of all children and students in schools.

By creating a conducive environment for learning, it makes the students, as well as parents more secure and comfortable in the knowledge that they are learning in a school that takes child protection, health and safety and security of all personnel seriously.

Here are 10 practical tips school owners need to embed in their policy for child protection in their respective schools.

1. All teachers,  irrespective of gender, must not touch (as in place their hands casually or in a friendly way) any student,  male or female.

2. No teacher must have a closed door session alone with a student,  with no one else present in the room.

3. No classroom full of students, must be left unsupervised by a teacher.

4. All incidents involving student versus student,  or student versus teacher must be logged and documented immediately on an incident report form, pending the outcome of a full and thorough investigation.

Witnesses must be called to make their own written statements of what they saw, or heard. The incident report and logging must be done the same day the incident occurred with the time and date recorded.

* Whistle-blowers who report an incident must not be punished or victimized.

5. No teacher is allowed to intimidate a student, bribe a student or cajole a student to do what is morally wrong, especially against their wish. Their esteem must not be destroyed at this young impressionable age.

6. During break periods, and end of school,  teachers are expected to be at strategic posts watching the movement of students and monitoring their health and safety.

7. Apart from PTA (Parents Teachers Association) meetings,  schools should organise termly sessions with parents called 'Parents' Day'. This important session affords parents the opportunity to ascertain from the class teacher, and indeed other teachers, how their ward is faring academically as well as any related concerns about their welfare.

8. Students are stakeholders of the school. As a result, each year group must be allowed to elect a student representative (inclusive of school prefects) that will meet on a periodical basis with the school board to address any concerns the students may have.

The students can also make suggestions to the school board on what can be improved in the school (i. e. School meals, School projects, etc).

9. Periodical lesson observations (usually quarterly) must be done by Senior teachers for other teachers in the school. This is an important needs assessment based exercise that forms part of the key performance indicators (KPI) of a teacher. This is to ensure that students are learning properly and to ensure that they are fully engaged in the lesson.

An independent observer is able to gauge the self esteem of students, particularly if they are not favourably disposed to the teacher delivering the subject. Further investigation may reveal deep seated underlying issues that is impeding the learning of the student.

10. Lastly, several CCTV cameras must be mounted in school corridors,  playgrounds, other prime spots within the school as well as outside the school premises.

In addition,  a loud piecing security noise gadget must be installed in several locations of the school as well.

In the event of a security breach beyond the control of the security guards in the school, the gadget needs to be activated to ward off the dangerous activities of intruders or criminals (e.g. Child abusers or kidnappers) and to protect the health and safety of students and staff.