Prioritising child safety

THE call by the Education Ministry permanent secretary Selina Kuruleca, urging schools to provide extra security for students during extra-curricular events is an important one.

This comes in the wake of an alleged rape inside a classroom during an inter-house athletics competition last week.

As police continue their investigations, Ms Kuruleca believes extra measures should be implemented to always ensure the well-being of students.

She called on parents, teachers, staff and stakeholders to play their part in ensuring the safety of students.

This is why it is important that as stakeholders, parents and guardians take a hands-on approach.

They are vigilant and prioritise the safety of their young charges.

This is why it is important that children are empowered to understand their rights, what constitutes sexual abuse and why they should report such behaviour to someone in authority.

While Ms Kuruleca’s call for security measures at schools is important, it highlights something we should not take for granted: the safety of our children. In fact we should be ensuring their well-being. What we have before us is the opportunity to appreciate the fact that we all need to be engaged and talking.

That should include parents, guardians, teachers, and the community at large.

Safety for our children should also mean creating a safe home environment, encouraging open communication, and empowering children with the knowledge and skills to navigate potentially risky situations.

Then there is the bit about supervision, and our roles as parents and guardians.

That should embrace the need for us to be engaged and be there for our children.

It means being part of their school events. Children are vulnerable.

They lack the experience and knowledge to understand and pick out potential dangers.

This vulnerability extends beyond physical harm; it also embraces emotional and psychological wellbeing.

Let’s be our children’s first line of defence so to speak.

While we would expect schools to be safe zones, the rape incident is a clear warning for us all about the possibilities out there, and the dangers our children can face.

Let’s be encouraged to work together and build a network of support groups that places the safety of our children on a high plane.

We need to put that environment in place for our children.

Let’s face it, what has happened reflects the consequences of failing to prioritise safety.

It must remind us about the need for engagement, and standing up for the rights of our children!