In partnership with Unicef and the Child Friendly Schools Programme, Link Community Development organises workshops for Headteachers to help them address issues that affect the safety of their pupils. The workshops provide a vital opportunity for Headteachers to discuss problems and ultimately improve the learning environment in their schools.
Case study: Andres, Headteacher at Hleketani School, Warmbaths
Andres explained that his school does not offer a safe environment for pupils to study. The school has no perimeter
fence and is not guarded, so anybody can enter the school grounds.
Many pupils come from a rural background and lack basic education and life experience. This means they often start school at a late age, and older boys mingle freely with younger and more vulnerable girls. The school toilets are always dirty, contributing to an unpleasant environment that does not stimulate learning.
Addressing these types of issues is the responsibility of the School Governing Body (SGB). However, Andres feels that there can be a lack of understanding about the full impact that these problems have on the quality of learning in the school. He came to the Child Friendly Schools workshop so that he could learn how to explain the school’s issues to the SGB in a constructive way, to help stimulate change, rather than as negative criticism.
Three days of intensive training at the workshop have given Andres a greater understanding of issues such as pupil health, gender equality and teenage pregnancy. He was able to discuss these themes with other Headteachers, and brainstorm ways of tackling problems in his school.
The workshop helped Andres to realise that many other schools in the surrounding area suffer from similar problems. After discussing these issues with other Headteachers, he feels more confident about addressing them, and has already arranged a meeting with his SGB for the week after the workshop. He hopes that when his SGB understand how widespread these social problems are, they will not need to feel ashamed or defensive about the school’s difficulties.
Most of all, Andres says that he has learnt the importance of fostering an atmosphere of safety, security and trust in his school. By taking measures such as cleaning the school toilets and erecting a fence around the school perimeter, Andres hopes that Hleketani School will be able to improve the environment for its pupils, and ultimately allow them to learn more and gain better grades.
Andres said "This weekend has been wonderful, very educative. In my school I felt isolated and not sure how to deal with our problems. Now I have spoken to other principals and I understand our problems better, and I know how to plan. We can develop better policies in future for things like school safety, gender issues and teenage pregnancy.”
Andres explained that his school does not offer a safe environment for pupils to study. The school has no perimeter
fence and is not guarded, so anybody can enter the school grounds. Many pupils come from a rural background and lack basic education and life experience. This means they often start school at a late age, and older boys mingle freely with younger and more vulnerable girls. The school toilets are always dirty, contributing to an unpleasant environment that does not stimulate learning.
Addressing these types of issues is the responsibility of the School Governing Body (SGB). However, Andres feels that there can be a lack of understanding about the full impact that these problems have on the quality of learning in the school. He came to the Child Friendly Schools workshop so that he could learn how to explain the school’s issues to the SGB in a constructive way, to help stimulate change, rather than as negative criticism.
Three days of intensive training at the workshop have given Andres a greater understanding of issues such as pupil health, gender equality and teenage pregnancy. He was able to discuss these themes with other Headteachers, and brainstorm ways of tackling problems in his school.
The workshop helped Andres to realise that many other schools in the surrounding area suffer from similar problems. After discussing these issues with other Headteachers, he feels more confident about addressing them, and has already arranged a meeting with his SGB for the week after the workshop. He hopes that when his SGB understand how widespread these social problems are, they will not need to feel ashamed or defensive about the school’s difficulties.
Most of all, Andres says that he has learnt the importance of fostering an atmosphere of safety, security and trust in his school. By taking measures such as cleaning the school toilets and erecting a fence around the school perimeter, Andres hopes that Hleketani School will be able to improve the environment for its pupils, and ultimately allow them to learn more and gain better grades.
Andres said "This weekend has been wonderful, very educative. In my school I felt isolated and not sure how to deal with our problems. Now I have spoken to other principals and I understand our problems better, and I know how to plan. We can develop better policies in future for things like school safety, gender issues and teenage pregnancy.”
