On a typical weekday, your child spends around four to eight hours in school. That’s not even counting the number of hours he spends traveling from your house to the school and back. Whether you personally take him to school and fetch him, or you rely on the services of a school transpo, you leave it up to the school authorities to keep him safe.
In this age of technology, laptops and tablets which are used as educational tools by students in fact become an added security risk. According to a news report on abs-cbnnews.com, in November of this year, a student and his classmate were walking to their school in Marikina when three men on a motorcycle grabbed their bags and took away a laptop and a tablet.
Even students from the tertiary level are not safe. On November 21, a female fourth-year level college student from the Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) was reported to have been kidnapped in the school premises. She was later released unharmed.
In a statement issued by the ADMU Office of the Vice President, the administration will be installing more lights within the university as an additional safety measure, and adding to their security workforce to rove the vicinity as well as enforce more stringent rules when it comes to the entry and exit of people and vehicles within the campus.
[previous|page|next]
The same kidnapping incident spurred Laguna Representative Sol Aragones to file a bill, House Bill 3256, entitled the “Campus Security and Crime Awareness Act of 2013”, requiring all schools to come up with security policies and procedures, as well as to properly report similar crimes.
With Christmas activities in full swing -- and in preparation for the resumption of classes in January, we interviewed parents and school authorities alike on the subject of safety. Here are some points for discussion with your child's school administration and with your family members on what could be done to further ensure the safety and security of students while inside the school premises.
1. CCTV cameras in the premises
“Aside from having CCTV cameras strategically located all over the school grounds, we have security guards manning our entrances,” shares Nina Almeda, Transition Education Program Coordinator and SPED coordinator at the Independent Living Learning Centre (ILLC) in Mandaluyong City. “Students are only allowed to enter and exit through the main gate of the school; the other passage ways have been closed for security purposes.
2. Fetcher’s ID
"Since all our students have special needs, we have to be extra careful and vigilant of the people fetching them, says Almeda. "For easier identification, all caregivers/drivers/family members who are authorized to fetch kids are provided with an official school fetcher’s ID. A gate custodian diligently checks the IDs of the fetchers. Moreover, our community is very much aware of our school and its students. Our local barangay (Brgy. Plainview) has been very helpful in maintaining peace and ensuring the security of our students.”
“[My daughter’s school] requires photos of authorized fetchers,” shares Ines Yao, mom to Addie, 5, and Tammy, 2 months. “If your photo isn’t with the guard, you can’t pick up the child. Also, it’s a very small school, so the guard pretty much knows everyone.”
“During enrollment, the parents are advised to secure a fetcher’s ID and fill it up with at most three persons who can only pick up the student at school,” says Jennybave dela Cruz, mom to Quillian, 7. "Without the ID, the child is not allowed to go out of the school premises."
3. Authorized school service
“As for the school vehicle services, the school advises the parents to avail of those accredited by them," says dela Cruz. "There’s a list of operators at the Finance Office, complete with their contact details.
“We always remind our son not to go out or join his friends when invited to go out of the school premises during dismissal time,” dela Cruz says. “We tell him to proceed immediately to his school van service, which waits inside the school grounds. We made sure that the operator we got is known by the school guards and personnel."
[previous|page|next]
4. Child empowerment
“Our top tip for parents is to brief your child of the possible hazards, especially when you and your spouse are not around," says dela Cruz. "We give our child possible scenarios where we test him. We trust that whatever he answers is what he’ll do should the situation arise.
“Another tip is to introduce your child to the security guards. Instead of making them panakot, tell thechild that he’s one of the persons who can be trusted should he get into trouble. Be friends with the school’s personnel and introduce yourself and your child. It is important to ensure someone is at watch while you are not with your child.
“Make sure your child knows your contact numbers at home, as well as your personal numbers. Let him know where in school he could go to in order to use the telephone.
Encourage communication with your child, especially after classes. Always check on his daily activities with his classmates.”
Sources:
• August 15, 2013. “2 kidnappers nabbed” journal.com.ph
• December 3, 2013. “Ateneo tightens security after student is kidnapped, released without ransom” gmanetwork.com
• December 14, 2013. Charissa Luci. “Schools urged to report crimes, security policies” mb.com.ph
Photo from flickrhivemind.net
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
