EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO KEEP YOUR SCHOOL SAFE FOR LEARNERS AND MEMBERS OF THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY

 

 

Keeping Our Schools Safe:

Every morning we wake up, prepare, and send our children to school with the hope that they learn and remain safe in school. But the question that comes to mind is, are our schools safe? Even when some schools appear to be physically safe? Are they emotionally safe?

According to statistics from UNICEF, More than 10 million Nigerian children are not attending school, frequently as a result of worries about their safety and security.  Girls are more likely to be harassed and attacked both inside and outside of schools. Gender-based violence is still a danger. (Human Rights Watch)

Education has been hampered by conflicts and relocation in several areas of the nation, our children are faced with safety issues while in school. School accidents, attacks from parents, the emergence of children ups, behavioral crises, and health challenges are some of the challenges bedeviling our schools.  

Therefore, It becomes very important for schools to seek measures to ensure pupils, students, and staff are kept safe while in school. This can be achieved by being proactive in crisis management and prevention.  In this blog post, I  will delve into the meaning of school safety, aspects of school safety, school safety plans, and crisis management strategies in schools.

 

WHAT IS SCHOOL SAFETY?

School safety is the act of creating and ensuring that the environment of an educational institution is free from any form of threats, hazards, emergencies, or harm that affects the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of pupils, students, staff, and visitors within the education institute.

 

5 ASPECTS OF SCHOOL SAFETY

School safety is multifaceted and adequate attention should paid to each aspect of it. The five major aspects of school safety  are:

Physical Security: 

This aspect of safety ensures that the school is protected from any form of attack from the outside and also workplace accidents resulting from faulty facilities. This can be achieved by establishing effective

l Access control and perimeter security.

l Surveillance systems and emergency alert protocols.

l Maintenance and upkeep of facilities to prevent fire hazards and accidents.

Cybersecurity: 

This is the aspect of safety that ensures that the school is protected from cyber attacks and malicious use of technology within the school as well as ensuring the students are protected from cyberbullying and due exposure to online activities. This can be achieved by adopting …

l Data protection and privacy measures.

l Acceptable use policies for technology.

l Safeguarding against cyberbullying and online threats.

Social and Emotional Safety: 

This aspect of safety ensures that the emotional and psychological well-being of students and staff is preserved. This can be achieved by establishing:

l Anti-bullying and harassment policies and procedures.

l Promoting inclusivity and respect for diversity.

l Mental health awareness and support programs.

l  Conflict resolution and mediation training.

Health safety: 

Health safety ensures that the school environment is not a breeding ground for diseases and infections and also ensures that the health of everyone in the school community is preserved. To achieve this, the following measures should be followed:

l Everyone should be taught the importance of hand washing and encouraged to do so at all times.

l A sick child or learner should stay at home.

l Hand sanitizer should be made available at all times to everyone in the school community.

l Toilet facilities should be inspected regularly to ensure their neatness.

 

Road safety:  

This is often neglected by schools. This means ensuring that there is no hazard along the route most learners commute to and from school every day. Keep an eye on the popular route followed by students and be quick to call the attention of the community or authority concerned when you notice a potential risk on such route.

 

 

 SCHOOL SAFETY PLAN

This involves laying and building a culture of safety in your school. Prevention remains the bedrock of any safety strategy. To keep your school safe, you must be very proactive in identifying any potential dangers by being very observant. This helps to eliminate the likelihood of crises. The following are the ways your school can build a culture of safety.

1. Comprehensive Risk Assessments:

Risk assessment is something you should always do from time to time to evaluate potential hazards such as fire risks, bullying, harassment, sexual abuse, and laboratory accidents.  Once this is identified, possible solutions should be proffered immediately.

2. Clear and Consistent Policies:

Establish and enforce school policy on safety. Ensure everyone understands safety protocols such as what to do when bullied, harassed, threatened, or step by step way to exit from the school during an emergency. Ensure policies are age-appropriate and easily accessible to all members of the school community.

3. Positive School Culture

Ensure you operate a positive school culture.  Establish an atmosphere of trust, respect, and open communication. Encourage your students or learners to participate in decision-making and peer mediation programs. Organize training on social-emotional skills to equip your students or learners with conflict-resolution skills.

4. Conduct regular maintenance checks.

Conducts regular checks to identify electrical faults, faulty facilities, weak fencing, cracks in the building, inadequate lighting, damaged desks, and broken and sharp tiles. Also, you address security concerns by ensuring secure entry points, and visitor ID requirements.

Implement access control measures like secure entry points and visitor ID requirements. Invest in technology like emergency alert systems, CCT cameras, and surveillance cameras.

5. Preparedness Drills and Training:

Preparedness is the best strategy to combat the crisis.  Regularly, conduct drills for various emergencies, including fire evacuations, lock-downs, and active shooter scenarios.

Conduct training for staff and students on emergency procedures, first-aid, and protocols for communication during crises.  Safety symbols can also be placed strategically to remind everyone of the need to think safety at all times.

 STRATEGIES TO MANAGE CRISIS IN SCHOOLS

Crises are incidents that are unexpected and disruptive. But a well-prepared school can minimize chaos and maximize response effectiveness:

Effective Communication:

You should have a clear communication system managed by the response team. A few teachers should be drafted into the response team, and their sole duties will be to disseminate or pass accurate and timely information to every member of the organization directing them on what to do or what not in an emergency.

Have a clear chain of command and designated crisis response teams. This information can be communicated through the use of loudspeakers, text messages, and WhatsApp updates.

 

Prioritizing Safety:

In times of crisis, ensure the immediate safety of everyone. Follow established evacuation or lock-down procedures, and provide first-aid to any injured parties. There should be a head count for all students, and staff to ensure no one is left behind in the confusion.

Collaboration and Delegation:

Ensure tasks are well delegated taking into consideration, the strengths and expertise of the team members. This will ensure a well-coordinated response. Assign leaders for different aspects of the response, such as evacuation, communication, and reunification.

 

Provide mental Support After a crisis.

Experiencing a crisis can be very traumatizing and emotionally draining,  it becomes necessary to Provide counseling and support services to students, staff, and families in the aftermath. This can be achieved by partnering with mental health professionals.

 

 

 Review the incident and Improve on the safety response

There should be an aftermath review of the incident. Proper analysis of how well the response team performed and possible areas of improvement. More training can also be conducted, to improve the areas of weaknesses identified.

 

Effective strategies for schools to recover or bounce back after the crisis and avoid a repeat

Crisis management goes beyond just responding to emergencies. It's about fostering resilience – the ability to bounce back and adapt in the face of adversity. Here's how schools can cultivate this vital quality:

1. Open Dialogue

Encourage open and honest conversations about difficult topics like bullying, mental health, and safety concerns. Create safe spaces for students to voice their anxieties and seek help from teachers, counselors, or peers.

2. Social-Emotional Learning:

Integrate social-emotional learning into the curriculum. Teach students coping mechanisms, stress management techniques, and healthy conflict resolution skills. Consider incorporating mindfulness exercises like meditation or yoga to promote emotional awareness and self-regulation.

3. Celebrating Strengths:

Recognize and celebrate acts of kindness, empathy, and courage during and after crises. This reinforces positive behavior and builds a sense of trust and acceptance.

 ROLE OF PARENTS IN ENSURING SAFETY IN SCHOOLS

1. Create an environment of open communication:

 Encourage your child to talk about their ideas and feelings, building a relationship of trust so they may talk about any worries.

2. Understand the School's rules: To make sure that both you and your kid are aware of the safety precautions in place, familiarize yourself with the school's safety rules, procedures, and emergency protocols.

3. Teach Your Child About Personal Safety: Make sure your child understands the need to keep personal information private, how to spot potentially dangerous circumstances, and how to avoid strangers.

4. Attend School Events: Get to know the faculty, staff, and other parents by taking part in school events and activities. This will help you build a network of support.

5. Watch What Your Child Does Online: Keep a watch on what your child does online, teach them proper internet usage, and take quick action to address any concerns you have about cyberbullying or online safety.

5 RULES FOR CHILD SAFETY AT SCHOOL

To help children stay safe at school, teach them the following:

1. Always pay attention to what your teachers are saying, and do as they say.

2. Walk rather than run, particularly in congested places like corridors.

3. Keep an eye on your surroundings and alert staff or teachers to any risky situations.

4. To keep your corner neat and prevent trip hazards, keep your stuff organized.

5. Never go somewhere with strangers or provide personal information; instead, always tell a responsible adult if you feel uncomfortable around someone.

 

SAFETY RULES FOR KIDS IN SCHOOL BUS

1. Remain seated when the school bus is moving.

2. Keep the aisles free of backpacks and other items for everyone’s safety.

3. Pay attention to the bus driver's directions and act upon them right away.

4. Refrain from making noise and acting in an unruly manner to maintain a focused and secure atmosphere.

5. When getting on or off the bus, wait for it to completely stop and only do so at specified stops.

SAFETY TIPS PARENTS MUST TEACH THEIR CHILDREN

1. Teach your child how to resolve conflicts without fighting

2. Monitor what your child does on the internet.

3. Inquire about the safety and emergency plan of your child's school.

4. Teach your child not to talk to strangers, go anywhere with strangers, or accept gifts from strangers.

5. Teach your child not to branch elsewhere on their way to and from school.

6. Ensure your children memorize your phone number and their house address.

Ensuring school safety is the responsibility of everyone, parents, students, staff, and school management.  We can all play a part by advocating for resources and supporting programs that are keeping schools safe. Together we can work to make our schools safe for every child.