The Government of Sierra Leone has on Wednesday 29 March 2023 approved the Comprehensive School Safety Policy (CSSP) and associated guidelines respectively.

This was done in a bid to ensure the comprehensive safety of the school-age population in the country.

According to them, the aim of the policy is to provide a unique multi-sectorial framework that will guide school safety and child safeguard, protecting learners and education service providers from injury, disaster, and risks resulting from violence, abuse and harm in schools.

The Policy is cut across the country and also aims to protect education sector investment through the adoption of strategies for risk reduction and resilience planning by the school system.

It was noted that, the policy was formulated around three pillars; ranging from Safe School facilities and learning environment, disaster risk reduction in schools and protection from violence and other forms of abuse and harm in and around school.

“The CSSP invests in children’s learning and is geared toward safeguarding the rights of learners. When learners feel safe and protected, their achievements in school are likely to be greater. In addition, the policy will have a positive impact on learners from disadvantaged groups, making it an equitable investment and linking it to long-term positive impacts on education outcomes.,”  the Minister of Basic Education, David Sengeh stated.

The Minister said the CSSP also recognizes the opportunities available in the international context, adding that its implementation will be critical for Sierra Leone’s achievement of a number of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 4 which seeks to ‘build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all’ by 2030.

He added that, the implementation of the Policy rests on a consultative and collaborative effort among Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the private sector, and development partners, noting that the Government of Sierra Leone, on its part, is fully committed to ensuring the successful implementation of the CSSP.

“I, therefore, wish to make an urgent call to all citizens of Sierra Leone and development partners to support this policy document and ensure that Sierra Leone’s basic and senior secondary schools provide safe environments for all their learners,” Sengeh said.

The CSSP comprises four thematic areas ranging from the safety on school grounds, to ensure safety generally, Ensuring safety of the school environment and ensuring a safe teaching and learning environment for pupils and teachers respectively.