Hazards children face in schools
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
OUR society and schools have become increasingly risk-prone. Parents go nuts if their children get hurt at school. Litigation is every head teacher's worst nightmare. Children are hardly treated like children by schools. They are just there for the schools to make money. Most of the teachers have no knowledge of child psychology at all. The children, who are frightened into obedience, trust the teachers blindly.
As for parents, they too turn a blind eye to the safety hazards that most schools pose, such as crammed classrooms, narrow staircases, unhygienic toilets, and lack of safe drinking water and proper ventilation, besides overloading the students with heavy bags. These should not just wake up the administration, the parents need to wake up, too and access information and guidelines on aspects of health and safety in schools, including the medical needs of children during emergencies.
Everyone in the education system must do what is sensible to keep the students safe and healthy. The Ministry of Education can add to the health and safety policy to reflect their particular circumstances. It should cover, for example, what their students do in science lessons. Schools should use the curriculum to help students develop the skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe. Parents can help by making sure their child understands why it's important to follow the rules and listen to the teacher. It is time that the fear of compensation culture is consigned to history once and for all. The bottom line is that teachers and parents should be confident in organising visits outside the classroom and no child should ever be denied educational opportunities because of possible hazards.
Avik Sengupta
Biochemistry, McGill University, Canada
Email: avik.sengupta@mail.mcgill.ca
As for parents, they too turn a blind eye to the safety hazards that most schools pose, such as crammed classrooms, narrow staircases, unhygienic toilets, and lack of safe drinking water and proper ventilation, besides overloading the students with heavy bags. These should not just wake up the administration, the parents need to wake up, too and access information and guidelines on aspects of health and safety in schools, including the medical needs of children during emergencies.
Everyone in the education system must do what is sensible to keep the students safe and healthy. The Ministry of Education can add to the health and safety policy to reflect their particular circumstances. It should cover, for example, what their students do in science lessons. Schools should use the curriculum to help students develop the skills and knowledge to keep themselves safe. Parents can help by making sure their child understands why it's important to follow the rules and listen to the teacher. It is time that the fear of compensation culture is consigned to history once and for all. The bottom line is that teachers and parents should be confident in organising visits outside the classroom and no child should ever be denied educational opportunities because of possible hazards.
Avik Sengupta
Biochemistry, McGill University, Canada
Email: avik.sengupta@mail.mcgill.ca