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Discover the crucial role parents play in ensuring the safety and health of their children in school. Learn how to choose a safe school, advocate for safety measures, and communicate effectively with school authorities.
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HOW SAFE IS YOUR CHILD IN SCHOOL Articulating the role of parents in ensuring safety in schools.
Intro. • MANIS, It is always very dynamic that our GOD in HIS infinite mercies is always able to bring and brings out good out of every “evil”, “trouble”, “loss” that we HIS creatures go through on earth, if we are willing to look out for it putting aside our bitterness , resentment etc . Rm 8vs 28, Isia 61vs 3.
On this basis I congratulate the Executive director-- Mrs. Idorenyin Toye-Arulogun and her hard working team who I am sure through the Grace of God have birthed this laudable child health and safety advocacy group in memory of Late Morenike Toye-Arulogun for the awareness, protection of our children giving a “voice to the voiceless”.
Now to the talk • Who is a child. Dic – A person below the age adulthood[18yrs] -- A minor below the legal age of responsibility[18yrs]. --Early childhood from [0yrs—5yrs] -- Age 6yrs– 18yrs[ school children ,primary thru secondary and sometimes university [nowadays] even though those concerned do not want to accept they are still children.
Safety. Being protected from harm/injury/danger. Condition or feeling of being safe, secure, certain of adequate protection. . Health. State of being free from physical or psychological disease ,illness, malfunction, wellness.
From what has been defined it is obvious that ensuring the health and safety of our children—mine and yours is a bicameral role– parent/school giving the certainty that our children must attend school to gain education. So what are these roles and how do we as parents/school authority articulate, ensure, compel, clearly state our demands/ perspectives.
Parents roleThe parents have the principal role of---Searching out for a safe school for their children looking out for1. Location of the school. This is very decisive. There should be careful consideration of this. A lot of us use wrong parameters for choosing schools e.g. friends , family , social class . Is the school[primary] along a busy expressway, surrounded by abandoned buildings, notoriety of vicinity to violence.2. Safety within the school walls a, Entrance/ exit doors– locked/unlocked, manned/unmanned b, provision of fire extinguishers, alarms, c. Security personnel.
HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS 3. Parents should look out for the state of cleanliness [health] of the school environment---are there running taps ,or is it bucket, what is the source of water supply . The practice of regular hand washing with soap/sanitizers. Adequate ,appropriate clean toilets manned by sanitation staff workers. All these are necessary to prevent infection breakout, inculcate the virtue of cleanliness. Where there is any dissatisfaction the parents have a role to demand for a change/ standardization. 4. Inclusion of health/safety courses in the co-curricular activities empowering the children with knowledge. Schools can create safety clubs.
5. Parent-child line of communication can never be over-emphasized. Your child is the insider, you should look out for signs of discomfort low grades, withdrawal from school activities, untidy, rough dressings. These could be latent signs you can pick up to address. 6. Parents should look out for adequate aeration/ ventilation of the classrooms, broken louvers, window blades, naked wire sockets, type of chairs/ tables provided. Some of the above can be ready tools to use injure. 7. Schools must be compelled to provide chairs/ tables with rounded edges
WHAT TO DO IN TIMES OF EMERGENCY HEALTH • What type of emergency arrangements are on ground when health related issues arise. Also of note should be arrangements with nearby fire station. • How many members of staff are trained in first aid / fire and safety trainings. If trained how often are they updated. • In line with this --- the school curriculum should include fire drills/ emergency drills . • Emergency doors should be well marked out.
A special scenario arises when the children are in boarding schools/hostels. This is of a great concern because the parameters for health, safety, influence from peers are on a higher pedestal since the wards are “submitted into the care of the school”. First along this line is COMMUNICATION. Parents must have adequate, timely information about their wards in health matters or otherwise.
ADVOCACYJesus is our advocate before the father pleading better things for us .Likewise as parents we stand to advocate on behalf of our children for the following among other things , through the government monitoring agencies, specifically the Ministry of education---1. Standard operating procedure mandatory in all schools concerning HEALTH, SAFETY, HYGIENE, ENVIRONMENT of our schools2. Safety programmes in our extra-curricular activities. Emergency/ fire drills at regular times to prepare the students with knowledge in what to do at those timesThe school authority is responsible for the health and safety of the children within the school walls.
3. School staff and others have a duty under common law to take care of pupils in the same way a prudent parent will do.4. Children should be empowered with adequate knowledge to manage risks that are part of life.5. Staffs should be given the training necessary to keep themselves and the children safe and manage risks effectively6. Accreditation of schools should be based on compliance with some of the above standardization . Defaulting schools should have their accreditation delayed until standard is attained.
