Participants at a two – day state level training on the general principles of Environmental Safety and Safeguard (E&SS) and other safeguard measures have been charged to make the school environment safe for all pupils in the basic education sector for optimal academic performance.
The Executive Chairman of Ekiti State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Prof. Femi Akinwumi who gave the charge while declaring open the programme in Ado Ekiti
identified some of the challenges facing schools across the nation to include pollution,gender – based violence, sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, encroachment of school land among others, stressing that if timely measures and interventions are not taken, these environmental hazards can have negative impact on the academic activities of the school.
The SUBEB boss said the policy of E&SS include preventing and mitigating undue harm to the schools environment and pupils, adding that school children are the most vulnerable to the various kinds of environmental challenges found in our schools hence the urge to raise safeguard teams and train them for the purpose of eradicating the identified challenges.
Prof. Akinwumi said the safeguard teams comprised of schools’ guidance -counsellors, School Based Management Committee (SBMC) members, LGEAs, SUBEB and UBEC State Coordinator safeguard teams, noting that they are expected to identify, then avoid, minimize or eradicate adverse environmental and social security that may occur in the school environment.
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He commended the initiative of UBEC Management for introducing E&SS to be among the core activities of the Commission, adding that the inclusion of the programme will make schooling safer and school environment will become more conducive for excellence academic activities.
Akinwumi therefore urged the participants to make use of the opportunity provided by the training to equip themselves with the wherewithal of the different measures on how best to make the schools safe for the pupils.
The facilitator, Mrs Tahoma Clifford drilled the participants on the nitty gritty of social security and safety of school pupils within and outside the school environment.
She emphasized on Social and Environmental Safeguard, Community Engagement for Environmental Conservation, Principles of Gender Based Violence, Sexual Exploitation and Abuse and Sexual Harassment.
She also spoke on Grievances Redress Mechanisms, Safeguarding Sustainable Practices in Schools, Creating a Safe Space for the School, Promoting Inclusivity and Diversity.
Present at the occasion were the SUBEB Commissioners for Human Resource Management and Project Management, Dr. Olufunke Fajobi and Barrister Kayode Adeoye respectively, UBEC State Coordinator, Mr. Tokunbo Olajubu and top management staff of the Board as well as participants drawn from 20 public primary schools spread across the thre Senatorial Districts of the State
The two -day training took place simultaneously in all 36 States of the federation and FCT, Abuja from 15th to 16th April, 2024.