COLEGIO DE DAGUPAN

Institute of Graduate Studies

MASTER IN EDUCATION
Major in Educational Leadership

Child Friendly Schools

Name: REYMOND N. NICOLAS Subject: Med 01- Educational Leadership And Creative
Strategies In Higher Education
Professor: JIMMY LAROYA Ed. D

I - INTRODUCTION:

Schooling is the one experience that most children worldwide have in common and the most
common means by which societies prepare their young for the future. On any given day, more than a
billion children are in primary or secondary school: 689 million in primary school and 513 million in
secondary school. They are in permanent or temporary buildings, in tents or under trees – sharing the
experience of learning, developing their potential and enriching their lives. But schooling is not always a
positive experience for children. It can mean shivering in cold, unheated buildings or sweltering in hot,
airless ones. It can mean being forced to stand in unfurnished classrooms, being hungry, thirsty or
unwell; it can also mean being frightened by the threat of punishment, humiliation, bullying or even
violence at the hands of teachers and fellow pupils. These conditions thwart learning. They are made
worse when learners are without competent teachers to guide them, textbooks to learn from or exercise
books to write in, or if they have textbooks of inferior quality that reinforce damaging stereotypes.
Learning is further stymied when schools have no toilets, running water or electricity. It is a challenge to
reach the 101 million primary-school-age. children around the world who do not attend school. But it is
perhaps even more daunting to rectify the deplorable conditions endured by millions of children already
in school, conditions that are antithetical to learning, children’s well-being and their future livelihood.
And children face negative conditions not only in school. The home and community environment can
also pose challenges that make it difficult for children to enroll in school, attend regularly, complete the
final year of the cycle or achieve the prescribed level of learning. Food and water insecurity, under
nutrition, parasitic infestations, unhygienic surroundings, chronic poverty, household chores, harmful
traditional beliefs and practices, domestic overcrowding, gender discrimination, HIV and AIDS,
domestic violence, childcare deficiencies and the increasing prevalence and severity of natural disasters
related to climate change are factors that can wreak havoc with a child’s right to attend and complete
school. Schools must therefore focus on the whole child, which means taking into account conditions in
the family or community that might be hindering his or her educational progress. Fulfilling the
education-related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) requires not just getting all children into
school, but making sure that all schools work in the best interest of the children entrusted to them. This
means providing safe and protective schools that are adequately staffed with trained teachers, equipped
with adequate resources and graced with appropriate conditions for learning. Recognizing that different
children face different circumstances and have different needs, such schools build on the assets that
children bring from their homes and communities and also compensate for shortcomings in the home
and community environment. They enable children to achieve, at a minimum, the knowledge and skills
prescribed in the curriculum. They also help them develop the ability to think and reason, build self-
respect and respect for others, and reach their full potential as individuals, members of their
communities and citizens of the world. Child-friendly schools (CFS) embrace a multidimensional
concept of quality and address the total needs of the child as a learner.

II - DISCUSSION:
1. Definition of child-friendly school According to UNICEF,
a child-friendly educational institution is inclusive, protective, and healthy for all children regardless of
their social background, ethnic origin, gender, and level of ability. It has all the necessary facilities that
make the child’s school experience more effective and comfortable. A child-friendly school is respectful
of all children, and the families and communities of the students are invested in school life as well as the
students themselves
2. Principles of child-friendly school
Here are some basic principles of child-friendly school that determine if a certain educational institution
is safe, inclusive, and effective for learning. There are two primary characteristics of a child-friendly
school:
A. This school is child-seeking
It works to identify those children who are excluded for some reasons and help them out with enrolling
in school and participating in the learning process. Children should be treated as subjects with their own
rights, regardless of their age. When they are at school, they should be respected and their well-being
has to be ensured.
B. This school is child-centered
The adults, who work at school, should be acting in the children’s best interests, help children develop
their full potential and be concerned about their health and safety. A child-friendly school should also
care about their students’ lives outside school and things that happen in their family or community.
C. The school is inclusive
This means that the school staff should never under any circumstances discriminate, exclude, and
stereotype children based on their differences. Education should be free, compulsory, and affordable for
those who are unable to pay for school. The inclusive institution should respect the diversity of its
students and treat them all equal, without discrimination towards female students, children who work,
students who belong to ethnic minorities, those kids who have HIV/AIDS disease, physically challenged
students, victims of violence and exploitation, etc. Except that, it should be also responsive of diversity
by providing children the basic needs based on their social class, gender, ethnic group, and level of
abilities.
D. The school is effective for gaining knowledge
A child-friendly educational institution should provide high quality education, and learning processes
have to be appropriate for every child’s level of development, learning style, and abilities. The learning
methods have to be cooperative, active, and democratic. The school should provide materials and
resources for learning. This institution has to enhance the morale, status, capacity, commitment and
income of the teachers, as well as their recognition of children’s rights. Quality learning should be
promoted by helping children out with their studies and teaching them the useful learning techniques.
E. The school is healthy and protects the students
This means that the school workers are responsible for establishing a safe and healthy environment that
meets the sanitary norms. An institution needs to ensure the health policies, for instance, no taking
forbidden substances, harassment, and bullying. The counseling for every child should be provided.
There should be health education classes, based on life skills. The physical and emotional health of
students and teachers has to be taken care of. Children have to be protected from any kinds of harm and
abuse, and they need to remember their being at school as a positive experience
F. The institution is gender-sensitive
Gender equality should be promoted and encouraged, and any kinds of gender-based stereotypes should
be eliminated. All the facilities, textbooks, and processes should be girl-friendly, and teachers need to
stop normalizing violence among boys, providing the safe and non-violent environment for all children.
Respecting the equality and rights of all people regardless of gender or other biases should be strongly
encouraged.
G. The school is involved with the kids, their families, and communities
This means that the school has to promote the participation of children in all the school life aspects, as
well as helping children to establish healthy relationships with their parents and encouraging taking part
in the life of their local community.

III - REFERENCES:

https://www.unicef.org/publications/files/Child_Friendly_Schools_Manual_EN_040809.

https://www.legit.ng/1155403-what-child-friendly-school-environment.html