The policy aims to strengthen the child protection system in the education sector , and to ensure the provision of a healthy and safe educational environment that allows children to learn and grow within a framework that preserves their dignity, protects their rights, and promotes their psychological and physical well-being, while establishing an institutional culture based on prevention and early intervention in case of any suspected form of abuse.
Child protection is a top priority
The national policy for child protection in educational institutions is based on a set of basic principles that form the general framework for its application, foremost among which is considering child protection as a top priority in all procedures and practices within educational institutions.
The policy emphasizes a commitment to professional values in dealing with children , ensuring their safety and protection from any harm they may be exposed to within the educational environment, whether from staff members of the educational institution, colleagues, or any other party.
The principles also include checking the backgrounds of employees in educational institutions, including examining criminal records and verifying personal references, which contributes to enhancing safety standards within the educational environment.
The policy states the importance of providing the necessary training to employees in educational institutions on issues of child safety and rights, including recognizing signs of child abuse and ways to deal with them professionally in a manner that ensures the protection and safety of the child.
The policy encourages all individuals who interact with children within educational institutions to report any suspected cases of child abuse or mistreatment through clear, secure, and confidential reporting channels, thereby promoting a culture of early reporting and rapid intervention.
Immediate response mechanisms
Among the principles emphasized by the policy is the immediate response of the competent authorities to any report related to child abuse, which allows for early intervention and prevents problems from worsening or continuing.
The policy emphasizes the importance of cooperation with parents and the local community to ensure the protection of children, while providing open and continuous channels of communication with families to listen to their feedback and involve them in decisions related to the safety of their children within educational institutions.
In this context, the policy stressed the need to maintain the confidentiality of information related to cases of child abuse, and to deal with them with high sensitivity and in accordance with the laws and regulations, in order to ensure the protection of the privacy of children and their families.
A safe and healthy learning environment
The national policy for child protection in educational institutions aims to provide a safe and healthy learning environment that allows children to learn and grow properly, while ensuring respect for their rights as stipulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, to which the Kingdom has acceded.
The policy seeks to protect children from all forms of violence or exploitation within educational institutions, thereby strengthening the state’s commitment to international treaties and agreements relating to children’s rights.
The policy also works to raise the level of transparency and accountability within educational institutions by establishing clear mechanisms for reporting cases of abuse or exploitation, which contributes to building a society that pays great attention to the safety and rights of the child.
Types and forms of child abuse
The policy addressed the definition of the types of abuse that a child may be exposed to, based on what is stated in the Child Rights System Regulations, where abuse includes every form of assault, exploitation or threat that a child may be exposed to.
This abuse includes physical abuse, which is when a child is subjected to physical harm or assault, in addition to psychological abuse resulting from mistreatment that may lead to psychological or health damage.
Sexual abuse includes any form of sexual assault or exploitation of a child, as does neglect, which encompasses failing to provide for or adequately meet a child's basic needs.
The concept of neglect extends to include physical, health, emotional, psychological, educational, intellectual, social, cultural, and security needs.
The policy includes reference to discrimination against children with disabilities, or physical, moral, or material abuse against them, or their mistreatment or exploitation in any way.
Protecting children is a shared responsibility
The policy emphasized that protecting the child, developing his skills, and enhancing his cognitive abilities is a shared responsibility that falls on various parties, including educational institutions, parents, relevant authorities, and society as a whole.
The Ministry of Education stressed its full commitment to promoting the well-being of children, ensuring their safety and respecting their dignity, and working to provide a fun and safe learning environment for all children without any racial, religious, social, health or physical discrimination.
Strategic goals for child protection
The national policy for child protection in educational institutions seeks to achieve a set of strategic goals, most notably ensuring the implementation of the necessary mechanisms and procedures for child protection within educational institutions in accordance with national regulations and international agreements.
It also aims to define the responsibilities and duties of all parties involved in child protection, including teachers, administrators, parents, service providers and competent authorities.
Another objective is to provide a safe learning environment that protects children from any threat that may affect their physical, psychological, intellectual, or moral well-being.
The policy emphasizes the need to take all measures to ensure the safety and security of children within educational facilities, including the application of safety standards in educational buildings and the prevention of risks such as fires or structural problems.
The policy also seeks to enable children to exercise their educational rights and their right to protection as stipulated by national regulations, foremost among them the Child Protection System and its implementing regulations.
A unified mechanism for reporting violations
One of the most important aspects of the policy is the establishment of a clear and unified mechanism for reporting and submitting complaints in cases of suspected child abuse or violation of their rights within educational institutions or their facilities or on school transport buses.
The reporting mechanism includes external activities organized by the Ministry of Education, ensuring a comprehensive protection umbrella for children in all environments related to the educational process.
The policy also emphasizes the importance of providing necessary care for children who are subjected to any form of abuse or neglect, while ensuring that they receive appropriate psychological and social support.
Promoting school well-being and values of tolerance
The policy works to promote the school well-being of children within educational institutions, and to establish a culture of respect, tolerance and acceptance of individual differences among students, whether physical, health-related or sensory.
It seeks to qualify and develop the staff of educational institutions in the field of child protection, through specialized training programs that raise awareness of child protection mechanisms and how to deal with cases of abuse.
The policy objectives also include strengthening coordination among stakeholders to ensure the protection of the rights of all children within educational institutions.
Data protection and information confidentiality
The policy emphasizes the importance of maintaining the confidentiality of information relating to children who are subjected to any form of abuse or neglect, while ensuring the protection of their data and providing them with the necessary care by specialized personnel who take into account the child’s needs and the characteristics of his age group.
