TOWARDS EFFECTIVE SAFETY MANAGEMENT IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Safety is the concern of everyone in the school setting. Whether in the classroom, office, field or in the school farm, safety is paramount. Safety on the contrary is the freedom from harm or hazard which could be injurious to human body. It also refers to the avoidance of any form of threat to life or danger. This study examined the concept safety and safety measures. Safety is the state of being free from hazard, risk, threats, injuries and loss of properties. Safety measures are the means and ways of ensuring that principals, teachers, students, parents, visitors and facilities in educational organization are free from danger, threats and destruction.  The major roles of principals in secondary school management as identified in the study include leadership role in safety management with emphasis on safety education, infrastructure, and community relations, ensuring a safe and conducive learning environment. Two safety measures which include human safety measures and technological safety measures.  The importance of safety to human existence was discussed. Steps in managing safety in school environment were also discussed. The challenges to safety management in secondary school were also stated. Suggestions for improving school safety were discussed. Some of them include: the school principal should as a matter of necessity education the staff and students on the safety implications of unhealthy environment so as to enable them see the act as very critical to human health and that the school principal should pass stringent information to the teachers to make sure that any student that reported sick to school should be sent back home.