On the 18th May, 2022, The Safety Chic convened the sixth edition of the annual School Safety Summit in Lagos, Nigeria. The theme of the Summit was Child Safety: Importance of a Systematic Safety Education. The Summit was attended by teachers, parents, representatives of the DG, Lagos State Safety Commission, Fire Service, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), Lagos State Universal Basic Education Board, safety professionals and concerned members of the public. The DG, Lagos State Safety Commission mentioned that safety was important and must be approached creatively. The Convener, Ugochi Obidiegwu stressed that the theme was important because Safety Education had to be systematic and not just a response to social media trends or news. She urged all stakeholders to take responsibility and be proactive about our children’s safety because children can take action when taught about safety in an age-appropriate manner. This was one of the reasons behind the launch of The Adventures of Muna game app at the Summit. A child safety game app to teach children different safety topics in a way that is memorable and fun.
The Keynote Speaker at the Summit, Dr Ulrike Bollman, Head of International Cooperation, DGUV, Germany shared the strategic plan of the European Network of Education and Training in Occupational Health and Safety (ENETOSH) toward achieving the aim of integrating safety education for children. Dr. Bollman highlighted three fields of action for making safety an integral part of schools: school development, teaching development, and organizational development. She concluded her session with six factors and three principles for a strategic approach. The six factors are language, goals, cooperation, multi-level approach, participation, and resources. Competence Orientation, School Development Approach, and Holistic Prevention are the three principles upon which strategic implementation of safety should be done in schools.
The Summit featured an enlightened panel session with speakers such as Rotimi Eyitayo, Dr Abdoulaye Diallo, Abiola Sanusi, Dr Bisi Esuruoso, and Alpha Djalon. The panelists shared very practical tips and resources with the audience such as the National Policy on Safety, Security and Violence Free Schools and Minimum Standards of Safe Schools.
See pictures from the Summit.
