Back-to-school doesn’t have to mean back-to-worrying. Schools today everywhere ensure around the clock safety and security for the students as well as the school staff. Keeping schools safe allows children to look forward to being in an encouraging environment that promotes social and creative learning. When their basic safety needs aren’t met, children are at risk for not feeling comfortable at school and may stop showing up, or they may remain on edge throughout the day. Promoting school safety creates an open space for kids to explore, learn and grow.
The three main aspects of student safety and security in the campus are:
It is essential to keep the school environment including the school buildings, premises, playgrounds, laboratories, swimming pool, computer rooms, libraries, toilets, drinking water facilities, school buses, transport area and the surrounding areas safe and secure. School buildings should be built to ensure safety and be more resilient to hazards. When it comes to any catastrophe, whether natural or man-made, the school administration should train staff, teachers as well as students to be better aware and prepared to respond.
Installing CCTV cameras at strategic locations across school premises ensures that a child’s day-to-day life in school is constantly being monitored and recorded. This allows schools to be vigilant and constantly be on the lookout for any forms of child abuse, whether physical or emotional. The staff can then be trained to understand key indicators of child abuse, and be prepared to respond instantly to inappropriate or harmful behaviour.
Just as the physical safety of children in schools is important to ensure complete student safety, so too is their psychosocial safety. Children who are victims of violence show continuous symptoms of depression, dissociative reactions, feelings of helplessness, lack of emotional intelligence, and aggression. Emotional and psychosocial maltreatment destroys a child’s sense of self and personal safety. Schools must provide the right ambience to develop and enrich talents to facilitate the total development of a child’s personality. Effective school safety policies, such as anti-bullying, are as important as high-quality education, and should be fully integrated into school planning and strategy.
Steps taken by the school towards safety of children and staff in campus and during transportation
As an holistic approach to ensure the safety of students and staff under external threat we have installed CCTV Cameras at vulnerable spots. Support staff is recruited after proper scrutiny. Principal, Incharge Wings and counseling psychologist work as a team to redress the staff and student grievances and hold talks with parents too, if required.
Safety measure taken by school in case of any external threat/attack
To ensure the safety and security of staff and students under external threat we have a raised boundary wall with barbed wire fencing. Four gates for Entry and Exit. Consistently updated phone no. of the local police officers, S.H.O., Govt. Security mobile van. CCTV Cameras on gates and proper illumination.