It is no news that a lot of students have met with harm or have been involved in accidents within the confines of the school. Students have been maimed and in the worst case, some have met with their deaths right in the school compound of schools that should ensure their safety. Parents’ expectations from school are not limited to academic and moral development, they also expect their children’s welfare to be taken care of; they expect their children to be kept safe in the school. The onus lies on the school to ensure that safety measures are in place in every inch of the school compound and that maximum safety is in place for the students. There are a lot of factors to be considered and a lot of scrutinies to be made to ensure students’ safety in schools, some of these are listed below.
- Classrooms: Classrooms are like personal rooms to students and they should be hazard free. Students spent most of their time in the classrooms. In the case of crèche and nursery classes, classrooms should be child proofed. All table edges should be cushioned, sharp objects should be kept in safe places, classrooms should be free of things that can cause choking hazards to children, beds and chairs should not be too high to avoid the risk of children falling off. In the case of older students; there should be enough space for the classroom aisle to avoid tripping which can lead to various degree of injuries, all sharp objects should be safely kept and all other safety measure should be put in place.
- Playground: Most of the times, playtime are often unsupervised, hence the need to ensure safety on the playground. Very high play equipments should not be on the playground to avoid accidental falls that can be serious or fatal in very rare cases. Risky facilities like the pool should be locked when not in use and should be supervised with capable staff members in the case of use to avoid drowning.
- Stairwells: Most schools have story buildings and in most cases, students are rarely careful when using the stairs. To reduce falls and injuries associated, stairwells should be well lit and the floor covering should not be smooth. Rough floor covering will provide better grip for the students and reduce the rate of falls. It has been noted overtime that even adults like parents and staff members fall down tiled stairs let alone students.
- School Compound: it is very important that schools have well guarded school compound. A well guarded school compound will not only keep students in, but it will also help the school to keep track of parents and visitors going in and out of the school. Visitors’ book should be kept at the gate to keep track of visitors and if possible, a form of identity should be presented before gaining access to the school compound. There have been several recorded cases of kidnapping that happen within the school compound, a well guarded school compound will keep this in check and will prevent students from roaming when they should be in school.
- Health Care: Schools should have a functional health care centre with qualified personnel. In the event of injury or sickness, students should have been well tended to before contacting their parents or taking them to the hospital for further care.
- After School Care: some schools have provision for after school classes while others do not. The most important thing is that students are kept safe before they are being picked up by their parents or some other people in their stead. Students cannot be picked up at the same time; therefore some will still be left in school after school hours. The school should communicate the latest time of pickup to parents and ensure the maximum safety of students in the interim. Schools should make provisions for traffic officials who will help students cross the road (for those who go home on their own); this will reduce the rate of students’ involvement in accidents.
Schools should ensure maximum safety of students in all aspects at all times putting in mind that parents have entrusted the lives of their cherished children to them. No amount of settlement or apology can make the body part of a maimed child grow back or bring to life a dead child. Students’ safety is a paramount responsibility of the school and it should be taken with all seriousness.
Rotimi Eyitayo