SAFEST SCHOOLS ACCORDING TO THE GUIDELINES

These guidelines are attempting to put in a place a series of preventive measures that ensure that every school is a safe zone, where children can feel comfortable and relaxed and in no danger whatsoever during there time at and while traveling to and from the school or while on school trips.

        The specific objectives which these guidelines aim to achieve is the safety of children at school in each of the following aspects.

  1. From Risk of Kidnapping by any person within or outside the school while at or travelling to and from the school on school buses or while on school trips.
  2. From abuse, be it verbal physical or sexual by any member of staffs, be it teaching/nonteaching/contractual/older students or any other person while on the premises or on the transport roots.
  3. From bullying, threats by older children.
  4. From traffic accidents at/outside premises or from any accidents during travel on school buses or while on school trips.
  5. From accidents on premises due to fire/shortcircuits.
  6. From threats by natural calamities such as earthquakes, flooding etc by adequate preparation to mitigate the disastrous impact of such events.
  7. From internet/cyber bullying/abuse by circulation of undesirable/objectionable material by school children or staff.

The safety of children is the responsibility of school management and to implement these guidelines without delay:-

  1. Securing of premises :-
  2. Record of entry/exist of all persons in school should be maintained.
  3. Daily attendance of students will be recorded both in buses and school. Students should have identity Cards.
  4. Maintain register for visitors and parents.
  5. There should be only one entry or exit point to the premises.
  6. Wall around the school must be high.
  7. Access to areas like bus area, gym, swimming pool, sports room/field, canteen, toilet should be confined to persons whose presence in the area is required.
  8. Identity Cards with name and photo should be mandatory for teaching and nonteaching staffs.
  9. CCTV :-
  • School must have adequate coverage.
  • Entrance to the toilets need to be well monitored.

 

  1. There should be a vigilance officer.
  1.  Medical Facilities :-

There should be a health officer school should have one ambulance for their own with proper medical equipments at hand. Medical rooms should have a full time doctor and qualified nurse.

They should be a canteen office who ensure basic hygiene and cleanliness of food items.

  1. Safety officers :-

Responsible regarding following risk –

  • Electricity related risk
  • Gas related risk
  • Storage of hazardous/dangerous materials.
  • Water related.
  • Fire related.
  • Structural risk – Cracks in building, loose ceiling fan, railing and stair case. Structural audit should be done.
  • Play ground.
  1. Transport –
  • SCHOOL BUS should be written prominently on the back and front of van or bus.
  • The bus should have a medical first aid box and a fire extinguisher.
  • The driver should not exceed 40 Kmph in speed.
  • Windows should be fitted with horizontal grills.
  • The bus driver and conductor should be in proper uniform.
  • All vehicles should posses valid annual fitness certificates, pollution and insurance certificates.
  • The bus doors should be fitted with reliable lock and no of children as per capacity.
  •  The driver should have a valid license and at least five year experience in driving heavy vehicles.
  • There should be at least one conductor and one female teacher or helper.
  • At dispersal time small children must be accompanied to school in a group by designated representative.
  • Attendance of all children on that route must be taken at the start of journey and at the dispersal time.
  • When children get their bus stop must be handed over to the parents or authorized representative showing ID in their custody. In case parents/ representative has not reach to pickup, coordinate with parents and in no circumstances left the child on road.
  • Parents should know the telephone No and mail ID of bus incharge.
  1. Sexual Harassment Prevention-

              School should constitute a special counselling team to address issues related to child abuse and to teach children about bad and good touch. Schools must ensure police verification and psychometric evaluation of both teaching and nonteaching staffs. Child protection cells must be established and policies should be drafted to ensure the same with in school premises.

  1. Safety Checks :-
  • Fire exists should be located at convenient and accessible points.
  • Students and teachers need to be instructed about evacuation plans. Mock drills should be done