Health and Safety in Schools

I would like to welcome my distinguished guests to our program ‘Contents to Action’.
With us today is the Honorable Minister of Education, Mrs. Vashti Kanju, The President of The (EFCL) Education Facility Company Ltd, Ms. Amanda Hosein, The President of the Principal’s Association, Ms. Shirley Persad, The President of the National Teachers’ Association, Mrs. April Lalla, and last but by no means least, Child Psychologist, Mrs. Juliana Oyaide. Welcome. I thank you for taking the time to be part of our panel.
Today we will be looking at the impact that the physical environment has on the well-being of our Nation’s children.
I quote from an article by Marx and Wooley 1999.
A school’s environment is the thread that connects the multitude of activities on a campus. In many respects this thread is almost invisible, yet everyone experiences its influence. Positive social relationships and attitudes about school are as important to the environment as are safe and well-kept buildings and grounds. A safe, clean, and well-maintained school with a positive psychosocial climate and culture can foster school connectedness, which in turn boosts student and staff health as well as students’ educational achievement.

I want to begin by asking the Honorable Minister ‘What is the position of the ministry in this regard and what measures have been put in place to ensure a healthy physical environment?
Budget allocation?
Vashti
Physical- surrounding grounds- noise, temperature, lighting, physical, biological or chemical agents.
Ms. Hosein what is the role of the EFCL and how has it been influential in achieving the goal of a healthy physical environment?
The Education Facilities Company Limited (EFCL) was formed by the Government of
Trinidad & Tobago as a Special Purpose State Enterprise on March 11, 2005; and it officially began its operations on August 02, 2005. Its principal Ministry is the Ministry of Education(MOE) and the EFCL, directly supports six (6) of the specific strategic goals of the education sector as articulated in the MOE Strategic Plan 2002 – 2006, namely:
1. Increasing the number of secondary schools.
2. De-shifting of Junior Secondary schools.
3. Completion of the modernisation and rehabilitation of all secondary schools — including the provision of facilities for the physically challenged.
4. Amending the design briefs for secondary schools.
5. Delivering the components of the Facilities Plan for Primary Schools and the
Education District Centres, and
6. Increasing the number of Early Childhood Care and Education Centres in every district.

The EFCL’s current mandates are therefore: To provide project management services specifically for the School Construction
Programme of the Ministry of Education (MOE) The repair and upgrade of all schools and District Education Offices under the purview of the Ministry of Education and The supply of furniture and equipment to all schools and District Education Offices.

There are key factors that come together to ensure a healthy school environment. We use of a wider range of larger contractors and project management suppliers from within the local, regional and international markets to meet the stated targets in the construction, repairs and maintenance and procurement programmes

We have earned recognition for on-time delivery of projects by improving the internal project management capability and eliminating construction bottlenecks

We improve and/or introduce new technology in the construction, repairs and maintenance and the procurement processes

We have developed a strong IT structure and corporate database that facilitates effective interconnectivity internally and externally

We built an organization that attracts and retains the best in the construction industry whilst developing and strengthening the internal competencies

We have created a profitable entity that increases the confidence of both stakeholders’ and suppliers.

We developed a Risk Management Framework which estimates the impact of various categories of risk associated with the construction industry on EFCL’s projects.
What physical factors according OSHA must be considered? Are we following these protocols and is there body or institution that enforces the OSHA act.
The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of Trinidad and Tobago (2004) as amended, charges local enterprises with the duty to protect the safety, health, and welfare of employees and others who may be affected by company operations.

In October 2010, the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of the OSH Authority put companies on notice that enforcement of the OSH Act will now be a priority.

Occupational Safety and Health Authority and Agency (OSHAA), is the statutory body charged with enforcing safety laws at worksites. All construction sites are therefore subjected to inspection by the OSH Agency; both private and public sector worksites, including projects owned by the State and quasi-State bodies.

Section 46 of the OSH Act, the legislation which governs safety laws in Trinidad and Tobago and which empowers the OSHAA to enforce OSH laws and regulations, stipulates that employers must “forthwith” inform the OSH Chief Inspector of accidents which cause death or serious injury at a worksite. Further, a written notification of the accident — even if no fatalities occur — must be filed with OSHAA “within 48 hours”
STILL HAVE TO GET MORE INFO FOR THIS QUESTION
Madam Principal what are some of the challenges faced by school principals in ensuring a healthy physical environment?
The Principal’s first duty/responsibility is the safety of students we have to be consistently reviewing crisis management plans as it relates to physical facilities, food/drink safety and consumption, management of communicable diseases, natural disasters, external and internal threats relating to fights/violence, bullying and kidnapping, accidents and injuries and ensuring the mental well being of students and staff. * The challenges are funding to facilitate precautions and resources. * Sourcing persons to educate and train school personnel. * The MOE does not even come close to providing these, keep in mind that the vast majority of schools are over 40 years old. * A lot depends on stakeholder assistance and principal’s capacity. * Lack of parental involvement in schools. * The job spec of teachers does not require them to deal with any of these challenges and it falls on the shoulder of the principal. * Collaboration and co-operation of staff members through delegation of roles and responsibilities- if teachers are not volunteering then principals are very limited in providing and managing health safety issues.
Supports services are limited * Student support services only provide assistance to students in need of special education assistance counseling and social support while they provide some relief and assistance the growing need for mental wellness is too much for the limited personnel in SSS. * In addition teachers may not be too familiar with the concept of children and mental well being and therefore many sweep issues under carpet due to ignorance. * Schools use their religious Instructions and HFLE periods to try to teach morals and values education to help students with their social and emotional well being. * Regular contact with the caregivers of students allows the school to provide some measure of support to issues that can destabilize students.

* Currently there is a pilot project on in selected schools “Zippy's and Friends”This programme was developed to promote the mental health and emotional wellbeing of young children in many different countries and cultures; specifically for five to seven year-old children of all abilities. It teaches them how to cope with everyday difficulties, to identify and talk about their feelings and to explore ways of dealing with them. It also encourages children to help other people with their problems; that seek to enable students to be better able to handle problems and crises in adolescence and adult life.
The School Leadership Centre model it’s an International programme adapted for here
How has the environment impacted on the mental health of students and teachers?
The environmental impact on the mental health of both students and teachers can be attributed due to the following factors: * Unsafe infrastructure- (unstable infrastructure, exposed wiring, cracks in walls and poor ceilings - minds are otherwise preoccupied with concern, uncertainty regarding their physical safety. * Unhealthy environment – (cramped space, oversized student ratio per classroom, unhygienic washrooms, overflowing bins, stagnant water on school premises and location of school traffic and industrial pollutants. * Lack of leadership qualities, non-cooperation and collaboration among staff, parents, students and the community. * Academic failure/High Absenteeism - Inability to concentrate and focus to what content taught due to poor lighting, poor ventilation, noise pollution, inconsistent room temperature and climate (humidity).
From the parents and students perspective, what physical factors are being neglected?
Madam Oyaide, from your experience as a child psychologist, how has the physical environment impacted on the pyscho-social dimension of students?
Having all this information leads us to the question of what

Psychosocial- attitudes, feelings, and values of students and staff, safety, positive interpersonal relationships, recognition of the needs and success of the individual, and support for learning.