School safety and security is a major concern for all of us.  I actually cringe on hearing reports of shooting incidents in America some time ago and prayed it will never happen to any of our kids.  And to think that the crimes are perpetrated by no other than the student themselves to other school children, it’s a very serious threat.

In the Philippines, the fact of the matter is that generally schools are safe for  children. There are no serious violent crimes even though there are cases wherein our kids might experience petty crimes such as vandalism and theft.  Furthermore, not all school safety has to do with violent crimes. Most Filipino parents are also concerned about playground safety, school bus security and bullying as well.

Because of that, Filipino school officials are conscious about the threat and agree that thought of possible dangers in schools weighs heavily on parents’ decisions.  This thinking makes them go through necessary steps to help increase and ensure the school safety.

Here are some things to look for if you are concerned about the safety of your child’s school:

1. Check the School Safety Regulations – If you want to be sure that safety is a primary concern of the school, check their school manual and find the section on regulating and ensuring safety in events and activities in school.  A responsible Pinoy school schould have at least a one-pager document specifying the Do’s and Dont’s in school for students to follow.

2. Safe Behavior Programs - School should have mediation programs to teach children how to manage their emotions.  Anger management in kids is a vital issue that each of the Faculty and staff should be aware of how to implement.  Included in these programs are specific guidelines teaching the importance of alerting the school officials, faculty or staff if any of the students see, hear or sense anything that might indicate someone is being harassed, bullied or being disadvantaged.  You might also be interested about the disciplinary actions they are taking if there are problematic students at school.

3. Extra Curricular Activities – Schools should offer a variety of extra-curricular activities that focus on high risk problematic students that will give them alternatives to engaging in violence, participating in dangerous activities or joining gangs and shady fraternities.

4. Safe Building Designs – Your school building design should be focused on safety and security as well.  When I am doing inspection in schools, I always look for small corners, dead end hallways, height of safety grills (for tall buildings) restroom location and fire exits.  Ideally, the administration offices should be located near the  restrooms, library, clinic and other rooms that children will be left alone for some time.

5. Security Checks and Guards – When I as a parent can’t get entry to school that easily, that’s a good sign.  Schools security guards should require visitors to check in themselves as well as wear a badge that signifies them as a visitor that has properly checked in at the security office.  By doing so, school security officials can easily monitor the whereabouts and behaviour of visitors in their premises and take actions immediately as necessary.

6. School Safety and Disaster Reaction Plans – Aside from the safety regulations, your school should have a workable safety plan and disaster reaction programs as well. If your child’s school doesn’t have a safety plan, as a parent you can request that they create one. Additionally, these plans should be reviewed yearly to make sure that all school faculty and staff understand it. The plan should also be relevant to times such that the school will make any necessary trainings and updates to the plan.

7. Safety Drills and Exercises – The school safety plan should list the procedures for a variety of crises ranging from natural disasters to threats to hostage situations.  To make sure these plans are working or at least workable, drills and exercises should be conducted at least once a year.  This will make sure that not only the school personnel are aware of the school safety plans but also the students as well.

8. Playground Safety – If your kids are still fond of playing, then playground safety should be of primary concern to you.  Ideally, playground equipment should be monitored periodically to ensure that it is in good working condition. All equipment should be free of sharp edges and objects and spaces that could trap a child.  Soft flooring and cushions should be in place where children are playing.  Additionally, all children should be carefully monitored by a responsible school official on the playground at all times.

9. School Bus Safety – If you choose to get your kids in school bus programs, make sure you know the driver, the plate number of the vehicle and the route they are going through each day just for your comfort.  This one is a requirement for me.  I would be more concerned if my kids are the first ones to be picked up or was the last one to be dropped off.  Knowing more about the school bus program should help you decide if you will allow your kids to join the school bus or commit to personally fetch your kids to school everyday.

With all of of the above, we as a parent should get ourselves involved with our kids school.  We can keep tabs on what is happening in our child’s school by volunteering in the classroom, library or other areas of the school that are in need of volunteers. Also, being active in the PTA allows you to meet the teachers and other parents as well as know what activities are going on in the school.

So before you choose your kid’s school, don’t forget to check out this checklist.  It sure helps to pay attention to school’s safety before anything else.

Manny J2 (1 votes, average: 0.00 out of 5)
 Loading ...