As schools prepare to reopen on September 14, parents and guardians are expected to do more than purchase uniforms, books and other school supplies. They must also prepare their children to return to school safely.
The beginning of a new academic term often comes with changes in routines, transportation arrangements, school schedules, classrooms and social interactions. These changes can expose children to avoidable risks if parents and schools do not pay sufficient attention to safety.
From transportation and personal security to bullying, health and online safety, parents have an important role to play in protecting children before and during the new school term.
As an education safety advocate, I recommend that parents consider the following 10 safety measures ahead of the September 14 resumption.
1. Confirm your child’s transportation arrangements
Parents should know how their children will get to and return from school every day.
If a child uses a school bus, parents should confirm the identity of the driver, the designated pick-up and drop-off points, and the school’s procedures for managing school transportation.
Parents of children who walk to school should identify safe routes and teach them where they can seek help if they encounter a problem.
Children should also understand that they must not enter an unfamiliar vehicle or accept a lift from someone without permission from a parent or trusted guardian.
2. Update emergency contact information
Emergency contact details should be reviewed before resumption.
Parents should ensure that the school has current telephone numbers and accurate information about who is authorised to pick up their children.
Children, particularly older pupils, should also know important emergency contacts and understand what to do if they cannot reach their parents.
A school cannot respond effectively to an emergency if it does not have accurate information about the child and the people responsible for them.
3. Talk to your child about personal safety
Parents should have age-appropriate conversations with their children about staying safe both inside and outside school.
Children should know not to follow strangers, accept gifts or lifts from unknown persons, or disclose sensitive family information.
However, safety education should not focus only on strangers. Children should also understand that inappropriate or unsafe behaviour can come from people they know.
Teach children that they can say no, move away from uncomfortable situations and report concerns to a trusted adult.
4. Understand your child’s school’s safeguarding measures
Parents should take time to understand how their children’s schools manage safety and child protection.
Important questions include:
* Who is authorised to collect children from school?
* How are visitors admitted into the school?
* What happens during a medical or other emergency?
* How does the school respond to bullying?
* Who should parents contact when a child reports a safety concern?
* What measures are in place for school transportation?
A safe school is not defined only by its buildings and security gates. Its policies, staff, reporting mechanisms and response systems are equally important.
5. Review your child’s health and hygiene needs
Before resumption, parents should review any health or personal care needs that could affect their children’s school experience.
Where appropriate, the school should be informed about allergies, prescribed medication and other relevant care requirements.
Children should also be reminded about basic hygiene, including regular handwashing, safe food and water practices and keeping their personal belongings clean.
Parents should avoid sending children to school when they are seriously unwell and should seek appropriate medical advice when necessary.
6. Check uniforms, footwear and school bags
School preparation should include a basic safety inspection of what children will wear and carry.
Parents should ensure that uniforms fit properly and that shoes are comfortable and suitable for school activities.
School bags should also be checked regularly. Children should not be allowed to carry unnecessary, dangerous or inappropriate objects to school.
Parents should pay attention to the weight of school bags, particularly for younger children, and remove items that are not needed for the day’s lessons.
7. Prepare children to recognise and report bullying
Bullying can have serious consequences for a child’s safety, emotional wellbeing and academic performance.
Before resumption, parents should explain what bullying, intimidation, harassment and threats can look like and encourage children to report such incidents.
Children should know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.
Parents should also create an environment where children can discuss problems at school without immediately being blamed or punished.
Early reporting can prevent a developing problem from becoming a more serious safety incident.
8. Teach children about online safety
For many children, school safety now extends beyond the physical classroom.
Parents should discuss responsible use of smartphones, social media, messaging applications and online learning platforms.
Children should be taught not to share passwords, private photographs, home addresses, school details or other sensitive information with strangers online.
They should also know how to respond to cyberbullying, suspicious messages, inappropriate requests and online threats.
Parents should encourage children to report such incidents rather than keeping them secret.
9. Establish a communication routine
Parents should establish a simple routine for keeping track of their children’s movements during school days.
For younger children, this may involve communication with the caregiver, school or school transport provider.
Older children should understand that they are expected to communicate when they leave school, arrive home or encounter an unexpected change in their plans.
For example, if a child misses the school bus or is delayed after school, there should be a clear process for contacting a parent or trusted adult.
The objective is not unnecessary surveillance but the creation of a reliable safety network.
10. Have a conversation with your child before resumption
One of the simplest and most effective safety measures is an honest conversation.
Parents should ask their children how they feel about returning to school and whether they have any concerns about their teachers, classmates, transportation or school environment.
More importantly, children should know that they can speak to their parents when something makes them uncomfortable or afraid.
Parents can make this clear by telling their children:
“If something happens to you, you can tell me.”
Children are more likely to report safety concerns when they believe they will be listened to, supported and protected.
Safety must be part of school preparation
The September 14 resumption should not be viewed only as the beginning of another academic term. It is also a return to an environment where children must be protected, supported and given the confidence to learn.
Parents, schools, teachers, transport operators and children all have responsibilities in creating a safe learning environment.
Education safety begins before a child enters the school gate.
As parents prepare uniforms, books, shoes and school fees, they should also prepare their children with the knowledge and confidence to recognise danger, speak up and seek help.
A successful school term is not only one in which children perform well academically. It is one in which they are able to learn in an environment where their safety, dignity and wellbeing are taken seriously.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.