The Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA) is launching a series of training workshops for heads of schools and school managers around the country, starting in the Northern Division.
The 2-day workshop, which is being funded by UNICEF, will provide training aimed at creating a safer, healthier and more supportive environment for students in schools.
“There is no greater priority for us than the safety and welfare of our young ones, and we believe it is important that those who are responsible for leading our schools, are fully prepared for the various scenarios that may cause harm or injury to our students,” said Minister for Education, Honourable Rosy Akbar.
“These workshops will provide essential training to ensure that heads of schools, as well as school managers, have a thorough understanding of what they need to do to make their schools a safer and more conducive environment.”
“The past year has been very traumatic one for students, firstly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, then the recent cyclones, and it is more important than ever that we secure and protect the environment where our children receive their education.”
“This ranges from maintaining a certain level of hygiene in schools at all times to ensuring that buildings are resilient to natural disasters like flooding and cyclones.”
Minister Akbar said that the mental health and welfare of students will also be prioritised, not just due to the stress and anxiety caused by the previously mentioned events, but to counter issues like cyberbullying which have been on the rise.
“We are moving into an ever- increasingly digital world, and while there are benefits to this, students are spending more and more time online, which leaves them vulnerable to abuse and bullying on the internet, as we have been seeing recently.”
“As educators, we bear the responsibility for setting a foundation for Fijian children so that they can lead happy and productive lives in the future. So, it is equally important that we make sure that we take care of their mental health, especially considering their minds are still developing at this stage. Research shows that unaddressed mental issues, like depression in children can lead to many problems later in life.”
The first series of workshops will be held at 9 venues in the Northern Division - 6 in Labas, 3 in Cakaudrove, 2 in Savusavu, and 1 in Taveuni.
The first day will be on “Safe, Healthy and Protective Learning Environment”, with the second day touching on “Psychology Social Support”.
Topics covered include:
-School Leadership in Education
-Emergencies and Disaster Risk Reduction
-Practical actions to ensure a safe, healthy and protective learning environment
-Setting up structures and procedures for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene)
-Continuity of Learning
-Mental Health Psychosocial Support in Schools
-Signs and Symptoms of distress
-Protective factors and self-care
-School leadership
-Monitoring, evaluation and planning for next steps
The Ministry also expressed their gratitude to UNICEF for their support in this project, which will greatly benefit schools and students, and strengthen administration capacity.