Children are the future generation; their livelihoods and safety should be paramount. Schools are one of the places where you can find many children at a given time. We must not forget the teachers and other school supporting staff; therefore, we must pay special attention to them. This article will provide precautions that will keep children and the school safe while they are at school.
Children spend most of their time in school than at home or anywhere else. This being said, it is vital to ensure they are safe at all times, whether inside the school premises or on their way to school.
Below are some precautions and guidelines that can be followed to ensure both staff and children are safe in and outside school.
- Have an Identity Entrance Policy The policy requires every person entering the school to produce an identity document for screening purposes, be it teachers, learners or visitors. This minimizes the chances of anyone just walking in and creates a step towards school safety. Visitors should also sign in when visiting the school so that the school authorities can track who is at the school and at what time in case something terrible happens.
- Inspecting School Infrastructure
The school infrastructure plays a critical role in keeping children safe at school. There are accidents occurring at schools that could be avoided if proper care was taken. Therefore, special attention must be paid to the maintenance of school buildings, such as repairing roofs and maintaining school grounds to avoid accidents.
All schoolchildren should be encouraged to walk around the school, familiarizing themselves with facilities such as halls, emergency exits, e.tc. Both learners and teachers need to be alert, pay attention to their surroundings, and look for anything that can be out of the ordinary.
The school must create a safe learning environment and ensure there is always clean running water that is safe for drinking. The playgrounds must be safe and well-maintained to avoid hazards such as trees falling on children while playing.
- Have Safety Measures in Place
Both learners and staff should have emergency plans and phone numbers usually included in the school code of conduct or handbooks. Emergency numbers should be displayed in classrooms, or anywhere anyone can reach them in case of emergencies. These contact numbers should include the local police station, ambulance service, school principal, fire brigade, etc. School staff should receive opportunities to learn about health and be equipped with the skills and knowledge to lead confidently during an emergency. School staff must know how important they are to learners and must know to keep them safe if there is an incident.
Schools must have a school clinic service or first aids kits fully equipped with the necessary medicines so that when an injury happens, the children will receive the necessary help they require as soon as possible, as delays can lead to severe problems. If possible, there must be police officers to ensure children’s safety while crossing roads, which will inspire them to follow the proper traffic rules.
- Inspecting Routes and School Transport
Many bad things can happen to children as they go to school. Therefore, they must use the safest and most reliable routes to school. If they are walking to school, they should avoid those paths that are not frequented by people, as criminals can also prey on them. It is also wiser to walk in groups as they say “there is safety in numbers”. Parents should ensure their children know alternative routes as a backup plan in emergencies.
Both school authorities and parents must work together to ensure that the school transport is in good working condition. Children should know the traffic safety rules and read and understand road signs.
- Getting Involved
Regarding school safety, everyone must get involved; parents, learners and teachers. Parents should familiarize themselves with what is happening in their child’s school. This will enable the school and parents to work together and see what else can be done to increase school safety. Others can be in the school governing body, and some may choose to help with traffic control during drop-off and pick-up times; some can even join the neighbourhood watch. This will help both the parents and the school in so many ways.
Children must be taught to avoid harmful behaviour towards one another. The school must also spread awareness of bullying, abuse and discrimination. Children must be encouraged to open up if something terrible happens to them. This should work both ways; in cases of abuse, if it occurs at home, the child should feel free to open up to the teacher, and if it happens at home, then the child can also open up to the parents.
Conclusion
A safe and conducive learning environment will produce better results. Therefore, implementing the abovementioned measures will ensure that learners and educators are safe at school.
Have a look at How to Choose a Safe & Secure School for Your Children.
