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Student protection meeting held for all private school principals in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) organised an awareness meeting for private school principals on “Student Protection.”

The aim is to ensure every single child and student is protected from the moment they ride their school bus to the minute they return back home.

During the awareness meeting four division managers from the Private School and Quality Assurance (PSQA) sector spoke about their areas of expertise (regulations and policy, school improvement, inspection and monitoring), with emphasis on student protection.

According to the student protection regulations and policies, ADEC is committed to ensuring private schools in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi provide a safe, supportive and disciplined learning environment for all students; that action is taken to prevent reasonably foreseeable harm to students and that if and when an employee reasonably suspects harm or risk of harm to a student he/she must immediately report it.

“Schools and school principals must ensure that all students are free from harm of any kind. During the meeting, it was emphasized that a school principal must consider him/herself in the position of a parent who is responsible for each and every single students at all times, whilst they are in the school care, including travelling to and from the school using school transport and moving between, waiting for, and taking part in all activities organized by the school,” said Engineer Hamad Al Dhaheri, PSQA Executive Director.

All private schools are required to have in place a Student Protection Policy which outlines the school’s measures and procedures for ensuring the protection of its students from any harm. The policy must adhere and align with all the relevant laws and regulations of ADEC and the UAE.

“The school principals were reminded of how important it is to adhere to the Student Protection Policy which mentions the safety of school buildings, transportation and activities; takes into consideration a student’s health, welfare and wellbeing; conduct and discipline; confidentiality of personal data, reporting of incidents within the school to parents, ADEC and to other related government entities, and many more requirements,” explained Engineer Al Dhaheri.

It is mandatory that all schools thoroughly investigate and report immediately to ADEC in case of a harmful incident to a student. According to the Incident Reporting Requirements, if any incident occurs, whether proven or suspected, it is the responsibility of the principal to take immediate action to safeguard all those involved; report the incident immediately to ADEC-PSQA and to the concerned parents/guardians. A formal investigation must then follow and a written report sent to ADEC within 24 hours of the incident.

According to article 69 under environment, health and safety, schools must be equipped with an integrated and fully functioning access and security system – including access procedures and logs, surveillance cameras and other devices, and surveillance procedures – to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students, staff, visitors and contractors while protecting individual privacy at all times.

Visual surveillance equipment must be installed to cover all school buildings, facilities and premises classified as sensitive or critical locations. Surveillance is permitted to be utilized in all common areas including hallways, stairwells, cafeteria, storerooms, computer labs, all entrances and exits to school buildings/premises, and any other areas where school equipment and valuable/confidential/dangerous materials are stored. Surveillance however, is not permitted inside classrooms, locker rooms, washrooms, play areas for female students, or any other area where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Making sure cleaning staff and school clinic nurses are well informed of student protection measures and the importance of required gender during school hours was also highlighted during the workshop; Kindergarten and Cycle 1 male and female schools must only consist of female cleaners; Cycle 2 and 3 female student schools must only consist of female cleaners and Cycle 2 and 3 male student schools must only consist of male cleaners.

In addition, it is mandatory for all private schools to appoint female nurses at female student schools and male nurses at male student schools, and both a female and male nurse in case of co-education schools.

As for student protection measures in school transportation, bus drivers must have a good record of conduct and behavior; schools are required to hire a minimum of one adult as a monitor for each and every single school vehicle. Kindergarten and Cycle 1 (male/female students) require a female bus monitor only and Cycle 2 and 3 (female students) require a female bus monitor only.

The monitor’s duty is to make sure all safety procedures pertaining to transport and arrival of students, including boarding and disembarking the school vehicle is adhered to. No student must be left on the bus after his/her drop off point. Additionally, each monitor is required to sign an undertaking to confirm that he/she is accountable for the safety of all students in their care at all times until the student is delivered either to a responsible person at school or the parent(s)/guardian(s).

“These regulations have been introduced as part of PSQA’s comprehensive education reform which emphasizes the fact that all students have a right to be protected from any type of harm. ADEC will not tolerate any form of inappropriate behavior committed to a student, which is why we have set up concise and transparent regulations and will continuously invite school principals to similar workshops in order to help remind them of the vitality of the topic,” concluded Engineer Al Dhaheri.