Perception of Safety at School

Safety in schools is of paramount importance and necessary to support the all-round

development of each child, giving him/her the opportunity to learn and achieve in a
safe and nurturing environment. "School Safety" has been defined as creating safe
environment for children, starting from their homes to their schools and back. This
includes safety from any kind of abuse, violence, psycho-social issue etc. The safety
of a school environment affects a range of factors, from staff retention to parent
satisfaction.

When students feel safe, they are better able to focus on learning, which in turn leads
to increased academic achievement. Students who feel unsafe or threatened at school
have a harder time academically, face disciplinary issues and have a high probability
of dropping out of school.

Keeping schools safe allows children to look forward to being in an encouraging

environment that promotes social and creative learning. When their basic safety
needs aren't met, children are at risk for not feeling comfortable at school and may
stop showing up, or they may remain on edge throughout the day. Promoting school
safety creates an open space for kids to explore, learn and grow.

Measures to ensure Safety at School

The condition of school facilities, community factors, the physical environment of

the school, and peer relationships are associated with student academic
performance. Factors that affect students’ perception of school safety include the lack
of involvement in school, low attachment to school, dislike of or poor relationships
with staff, class size, location, etc.

1. The school should facilitate provisions for safe drinking water facilities, separate
toilet facilities for both boys and girls, sanitation, first aid provisions etc.

2. Buildings should be designed to be earthquake resilient and fitted with basic fire
safety equipment.

3. The schools must leverage low cost and environment-friendly technologies

without compromising on structural soundness and safety of the buildings.

4. Structural safety measures, safety precautions with regard to open wells, water
tanks, septic tanks, corridors, side areas, and ramps should be taken into account.

5. CCTV cameras at all vulnerable areas and strategic locations should be installed
within the school to limit the entry of outsiders within its premises and ensure that a
child's day-to-day life in school is constantly being monitored and recorded
6. Schools ensure that the non-teaching staff such as bus drivers, conductors, peons
and other support staff be employed only from authorised agencies and that proper
records be maintained.

7. Schools must constitute separate committees for redressal of grievances of the

staff, parents and students, and form an internal committee for complaints.

8. Emotional and psychosocial maltreatment destroys a child's sense of self and

personal safety. Schools must provide the right ambience to develop and enrich
talents to facilitate the total development of a child's personality.

9. Awareness programmes, seminars or workshops should be organized to spread

awareness on issues like health hygiene and sanitation, disaster management etc.