Prime
Police issue safety measures to schools
A man walks children to school recently. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- School administrators have been urged to provide children with contacts details of people to assist them incase of emergency.
The police have issued safety measures to be adhered to by parents and schools to guarantee learners’ safety as learning institutions reopen for the first term.
Schools open officially on February 6, while Senior One students, whose Primary Leaving Examination results were released last week, are expected to report to school on February 20, according to the ministry of Education school calendar.
Addressing the media in Kampala yesterday, police spokesperson Fred Enanga said whenever schools reopen, they anticipate an increase in activities and, therefore, have to put them on alert to ensure learners are protected from harm.
“It is always important that child safety is observed in schools because they lack skills to protect themselves. So the responsibility falls on parents, educators and schools to teach children about their safety and security to avoid tragic incidents such as fires, kidnap among others,” Mr Enanga said.
School safety tips
All schools are mandated to carry out routine inspection of dormitories and classrooms throughout the term to promote vigilance and situational awareness.
Schools were also asked to have in place a record of emergency contact details that include office phones, cell phones and home phones so that learners know which adult to contact in case of any emergency.
“We would also like to caution schools about bullying. Bullying is an intolerable offence that we strongly condemn,” Mr Enanga said.
“Teach children to avoid unknown places and encourage them to travel in groups, especially if they are day scholars. Encourage them to report suspicious activity around their surroundings. Children should avoid negative behaviour towards fellow children,” he added.
Head teachers and other school staff are implored to acquaint themselves with the child protection policy as well as review their security emergency preparations to be able to handle any emergencies.
They have also been encouraged to review the school register procedures and how to access classrooms and certain premises within the school.
The spokesperson of the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Faridah Nampiima, urged owners of schools to take their vans for mechanical checkups before schools open
“Those vehicles have been packed from the time schools broke off. Check the tyres, and don’t bring a vehicle that is in dangerous mechanical condition on the road to carry students,” she said.
Parents’ safety tips
Parents are urged to help their children memorise contact information like their full name, address, home number and how to use a phone where necessary.
“As you take your children to school, teach them to be alert and vigilant. They should not leave the school premises unattended. Sometimes you see young children going home on their own and yet there are a lot of child predators, kidnappers whom we need to guard against,” Mr Enanga said.
Parents were also cautioned against labelling their children’s school bags and uniforms by indicating their full names.
“This is something that is not encouraged because when you write the child’s full names on the uniform, for identification, they can easily be taken advantage of by kidnappers and abductors. It is always good to use indicators not names on their uniforms. This is something that can be worked out with the school,” he warned.
Other tips
• While taking children to school, parents should be able to help them memorise the routes, and show them landmarks and safe areas between schools and home so that they have somewhere to run in case of emergency.
• Teach children to be cautious of strangers and say no to them.
• Children like playing a lot so schools and parents should make sure that they keep dangerous objects out of reach especially for young kindergarteners and primary pupils who like experimenting with everything including sharp and fire objects. So tell the children the danger of these dangerous weapons.
• All children should be examined upon their return to school for any signs of child abuse during holidays and this usually helps police especially with the girl child.
• Parents should avoid the use of short cuts since it puts children in very vulnerable situations and also watch out for stalkers on foot, motorcycles, and motor vehicles especially where a parent’s child is a target for kidnappers.
• We ask parents not to smuggle any prohibited items for boarding schools such as drugs smuggled in snacks, bites, smart phones, selected electric gadgets, flame-based products, candles, lighters, matches, alcohol, energy drinks, and other items deemed illegal should not be smuggled into boarding schools.
• For the safety of children transported on motorcycles, parents can buy their children a crash helmet.
