Essential Ndubuisi
ENUGU SCHOOLS SAFETY INITIATIVES :
Happy Children’s Day
As we mark this year’s Children’s Day , it is important for Government, parents and teachers to embrace the following Proactive Schools Safety advise.
1. PROVIDE SECURITY
It is better to protect schools with fences and security guards; and contingency plans to enable security forces and other relevant parties to respond quickly to threats.
2. ID BADGE POLICY . Considering the State of insecurity in the country, it is strongly advised that our Schools should strictly implement use of Identification Card (Badges) for Administrators, Staff , Students and Visitors. This is to help foster Safer, friendlier school environment in Enugu State. It is also important to implement a protocol for handling unidentified individuals within the School.
3. PRACTICE SAFE DISTANCING These includes but not limited to (a) Reducing the number of children on school buses
(b) Spacing desks out and having them all face in the same direction.
4. SET CLEAR RULES FOR STUDENTS ON VIOLENCE. It has become imperative to let your pupils know from day one what constitutes unacceptable behavior in regards to *violence* and *cultism* in the School .
5. KEEP YOUR CLASSROOM ORGANIZED
Another way to improve school safety is to keep your classroom, hallways and other school areas organized and free of hazards.
6. REACTIVATE GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING SERVICE
Make counseling services readily available for school children and know when a child should be referred for emotional and/or mental help. *Children suffer from depression and* *stress, unnoticed.*
7. GET INVOLVED . Talk with the principal or teacher about what you can do to increase school safety.
SAFETY FIRST ! SAFETY ALWAYS!
Barr. Henry Okeke
(Special Assistant to the Governor and Coordinator Enugu Safety Group, *ESG* ) 27/5/2021.
