Schools are often referred to asa child’s second home. And why not? It is the school where the actual foundation of a kid’s life is laid. But if this basic foundation goes weak, it becomes really hard for children to grow into confident, responsible adults. This is why it is important that schools not only promotesocial and creative learning but also provide an encouraging,well-protectedenvironment to children, where they feel safe and sound. But in today’s world, we almost every day come acrosscontinual instances of violence against children. Everything from physical abuse and molestation to abduction and murders are making the society and also the schools no longer appearas a safe place for kids. As such, it is crucial that parents, teachers, and schools step in and look for ways to keep the kids safe from the prying eyes.
With the younger generation massively prone to abuse and violence of all kinds, we, at the K.R. Mangalam School, believe that it is high time we make children safety the highest priority for us. And for this, there is a need for the schools to implementa firm child protection policy to analyze every situation and devise ways to keep children safe and secure.
In general, child protection policies are intended to strengthen the environment, capacities, and activities to prevent/ protect children from any kind of abuse, exploitation, violence, neglect, and consequences of conflict. In that sense, having an appropriate child protection policy enables schools to provide a safe learning environmentto kids byidentifyingdistressed and vulnerable pupils and taking suitable action to ensure that they are safe as well as happy at all times. Ideally, a child protection policy should touch upon the following facets:
Bring Awareness:
Children should be empowered to stay conscious of their safety by teaching them to express their concerns, fears, and needs. It’s always essential to teach kids about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’. They should know what is right and wrong and that no one can control, dominate, or threaten them into doing what is not right. They should know whenand where to say ‘no’. Children should be made aware of what is appropriate and what is not so that they know what to do and how to act to save themselves in different situations.
Create a Safe Learning Environment:
It is necessary that schools have a student protection plan in place so as to prevent bullying, discrimination, or any sort of violence. There should also be achild counselor to guide/mentor students and parents, helping them understand issues like bullying, violence, sexual abuse, and more. Having such plans and policies enable the school authorities to address the fears, vulnerability, and hurdles faced by studentsand aid them to better handle theissues that needsensitive attention.Moreover, there should be a suggestion/complaint box in schools that can help students and parents bring issues to the attention of the authorities, without being singled out or harassed.
Training and Workshops:
Quality training and workshops conducted through experts and resource persons help parents, teachers, and the management to have a good knowledge about various issues and how they should be handled. Also, having children’s clubs and workshops at school can provide more awareness to the students, parents, and teachers alike.A healthy and open conversation with one another can often enable the teachers to identify potential flashpoints and take early action to save children from any harm.
We, at the K.R. Mangalam School, believe that amidst the heinous incidents committed against innocent children, it is necessary for schools and parents to take the child protection issue into immediate consideration. When it comes to child safety, there is nothing too big or small and it’s never too late to start off. Child protection policy should be a must in all schools and it should take into account all factors including school transportation, infrastructure, medical facilities, sanitation, and forms of punishments and abuse. All the features of the policy should be made clear to the parents, students, and visitors.
We, at KRMS,a top-ranked CBSE school in New Delhi, are very particular about the safety and sanity of our pupils and have hence created and implemented child protection policies into our school functional processes, curriculum, and recruitment to ensure child safety and protection at all times. We are very strict about carrying outroutine check-ups in every nook and corner of the school to ensure that no child is mistreated and no place is left deserted within the campus. 24/7 CCTV surveillance facilities with security personnel monitoring the premises make it more safe and secure for children. Teachers at KRMS are considerate to the needs, doubts, and concerns of children and have created such a bond with them that they can easily share their feelings and aversions.In case of emergency situations, the school is rightly equipped withthe necessary medical assistance to provide comprehensive health care to the one inneed.
At K.R. Mangalam School, we understand that children spend a significant time of their childhoodin school, and so, it is our responsibility to provide them with a safe, secure, and an enriching learningenvironment. Helping the kids feel secure is crucial for allowing them to explore their talents and inner potential with confidence.