The British Council on Sunday hosted the first-ever “Safeguarding in Schools Symposium” to highlight the best practices to protect students from harm or damage with an appropriate measure of safety.
The symposium emphasized adopting safeguarding best practices, drawing on the expertise of professionals from the United Kingdom and its affiliated schools' network and engaging the government in developing a comprehensive safeguarding policy aligned with international standards and best practices.
The event was structured into three segments: The UK's Safeguarding Best Practices, Safeguarding in Education: Bangladesh Perspective, and A Roadmap for Constructing a Framework for Bangladesh, said a statement.
In his welcoming speech, Tom Miscioscia, director Bangladesh, British Council, said: "In the British Council, we believe that safeguarding is everyone's responsibility."
Emily Konstantas, chief executive officer of the United Kingdom's Safeguarding Alliance, delivered the keynote speech.
The presentation focused on the legal frameworks and international safeguarding standards, specifically emphasizing the best practices in schools within the UK and contextualization guidance.
The safeguarding team of the British Council explained the methodology for cultivating a safeguarding culture, highlighting the fundamental elements of an effective safeguarding culture and clarifying the significance of fostering such a culture.
Prof Dr AQM Shafiul Azam, director, Planning and Development, Directorate of Secondary and Higher Education, said: “We have policies and frameworks to safeguard students in educational institutions, such as 'Policy for the Prevention of Bullying and Ragging in Educational Institutions 2023' and 'Guidelines for the Prevention of Sexual Harassment in Schools'."
However, to ensure they are in practice is the responsibility of everyone, he said.
"We are looking into the safeguarding issues with high priority; for instance, we have helpline numbers to report any incident regarding violence against girls and women. We are committed to ensuring equal educational opportunities for all so no one is left behind.”
Simon O'Grady, Founding Headmaster, Haileybury Bhaluka, said: "In our pursuit of educational excellence, of first importance is the safety and wellbeing of our children. As education leaders, we must have the best safeguarding practices, ensuring that all schools meet international standards. Our commitment to safe schools is universal and non-negotiable."
Jahura Begum, Principal, Udayan Uccha Maddomik Biddaloy said: "We must ensure that every educational institute is a safe space not only for the students but the teachers, parents and support staff. We are working on establishing a culture in the school where we protect and safeguard each other from harassment and violence."
