Abu Dhabi: School staff in the emirate of Abu Dhabi must now be very vigilant regarding child safety, and report even cases in which they suspect any abuse has occurred or neglect has taken place, a senior education official has said.
In addition to reporting the suspicion to school leaders, school personnel are also authorised to directly contact the UAE Ministry of Interior’s Child Protection Centre telephone hotline at 116 111, and they must do so within 24 hours of suspicion.
This focus on even alleged and suspected abuse and neglect is part of the new Child Protection Policy introduced by the emirate’s education sector regulator, Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec), at the start of the ongoing 2016-2017 academic year last month.
“School staff must understand that the new policy covers even suspected or alleged cases of abuse and neglect. So, they must report any such incidents immediately, and supervise pupils at all times,” Dr Layla Alhyas, programme manager for health and wellness at Adec, told Gulf News.
“In addition, if a staff member is suspected of an offence that constitutes abuse or neglect, he or she will be temporarily suspended until the suspicion is resolved,” she added.
As reported by Gulf News on September 27, the new Adec regulations follow the implementation of the UAE Federal Law No 3 of 2016 on Child Rights, which came into force in April this year. They aim to prevent child abuse and curb neglect with the help of all community members.
Dr Ali Al Nuaimi, director-general of Adec, stressed this collective responsibility in a statement issued at the announcement of the Adec policy.
“School principals, school staff, Adec employees and parents are all responsible for reporting suspected cases of child abuse and neglect. Protecting our children is the responsibility of the community at large. Anyone who suspects or witnesses any risk, harm or injury inflicted on a child, must immediately report it and without hesitation,” he said.
School leaders will also be briefed about the policy this month so that they can familiarise staff and personnel with its elements, Dr Alhyas said.
Parents lauded the new Adec rules, saying that they would enhance children’s safety.
“It is good to hear that an untoward incident does not actually have to occur before parents are contacted or authorities are alerted. My biggest fear is always that my children interact with so many strangers every day. Schoolteachers who deal with children on a daily basis should therefore keep a watch and contact parents and authorities as soon as they feel something is off,” said Rekha Sunil, a 34-year-old homemaker from India.
“Safety was my foremost concern when picking a school for my son, and early reporting of school personnels’ suspicions could act as a safeguard against further harm,” said Sara Al Ali, 23, an Emirati working mother.
But some parents were cautious about the new regulations.
“I have lived in the United Kingdom, and would be called up as soon as a teacher noticed even the smallest bruise on my daughters’ arms. Some of these reports would even lead to a visit by the police, and it would all be for something as simple as a fall in the playground,” said a father-of-two who declined to be named.
“I hope the Adec policy will not be interpreted in such a manner, and that school personnel will be trained to detect real harm before reporting matters to the authorities. It might even be a good idea for school authorities to first check with parents before making a call to the Child Protection Centre,” he added.
