Kids are as sensitive as a flower and apple of their parents’ eyes. Parents keep no stones unturned to ensure the safety of their little ones. They need everything best for them, whether it’s their clothes, friends, school, or any activity-classes. But when a child reaches school, parents aren’t aware of what their kids are doing.
Children use to spend more time in school than anywhere else. So it becomes a vital task for school authorities, teachers, and parents to ensure their safety in the best possible way. They need to make sure that every student is safe inside the school premises as well as while traveling to or from the institute.
Here are some critical guidelines schools can follow to ensure the proper safety of children once they leave their home for school.
1. Inspecting School Routes
Most of the mishaps occur when students commute to schools. It is due to the negligence in safety of school routes. Many footpaths are in adverse conditions, that forces students to take roads to walk and get themselves in trouble.
Lack of speed breakers and proper signboards, etc., are a couple of key factors adding to these mishaps. A route safety audit can be conducted regularly by the local government and school management to mark out the obstacles and difficulties faced by the children.
2. Inspecting School Infrastructure
Another significant concern is the school infrastructure. Numerous students have faced fatal accidents because of weak foundation at the schools. We should hold on to start the development or maintenance of rooftops until they breakdown and create problems.
Additionally, the arrangement for safe drinking water is essential for students, not an enhancement. School authorities need to be sharp about analyzing the school infrastructure and facilities to make a superior and safe learning environment.
3. Inspecting School Environment
Deep analysis of school ambiance is essential. Sometimes a stray animal may attack students or tree branch may fall off when they are playing outside. It may result in some severe casualties. School authorities should make sure that the environment is safe and secure for students. There must be some volunteers ready for rescue if any trouble occurs.
4. Inspecting School Bus
One of the most crucial time is when students travel to and from school on a bus. School authorities should do a regular audit of inside and out of the buses.
They must check if the tires are in proper condition if the brakes are working fine. Along with it, they should check the engine’s working condition and coolant level, so that it reduces the risk of catching fire.
5. Awareness of Road Safety
Carelessness in passing on necessary road safety education to students can put their life at risk. It is the responsibility of school authorities to make students aware of the traffic safety rules since they are at the primary level.
6. Displaying Emergency Numbers
There should be emergency numbers evident on the school buses so that other travelers could see it in case any mishap occurs. The contact numbers include local police station, ambulance service, PTA authority, school principal, etc. Also, for more safety, identity cards can be issued to the students with the emergency contact of their parents/guardians.
7. First Aid and Inter-school Clinic Service
It will be a significant step if schools equip emergency clinics inside the premises. Also, the authorities should keep first aid kits with all the necessary ointments and medicines ready. Injuries can happen at any time, and delay in proper aid can result in some severe after-effect.
8. Deploying Police
Another best approach to increasing the safety of the students is posting police personnel in the school premises. It will ensure the safety of children while they are crossing roads and will inspire them to follow the proper traffic rules.
9. Check for Unattended Safety Issues
The parents and the school authorities may not be aware most of the time, but there are times when children are abused, bullied, and discriminated in the school premises.
Small children often don’t share the incidents with anyone. It’s the responsibility of school authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure that no one misbehaves with the students.
Additionally, teachers must make them aware of the difference between a right touch and a bad touch, so that they know when to report the actions.
10. School Safety Committee:
It’s always a best practice to constitute a safety committee in the school to confirm the safety of all the students. The leading members of the committee should include the Principal, parent-teacher association, student and staff representatives, and ward members.
Concluding,
We hope the above points are enough to follow and keep children safe while they are in school. Besides, using a school bus tracking system by the school authorities as well as the parents, can keep them aware of the whereabouts of the children while they are moving to and from the schools.
