School Mental Health Policy

To ensure the physical and psychological safety of every child as well as school personnel, the following behaviours  are prohibited among  pupils/students  in Scaffolding School:

• Physical Abuse – Flogging,  slapping,  hitting, pinching,  pushing, biting, pushing, shoving  of  another  pupil/student,  a teacher or any school staff.
• Verbal Abuse- Name calling, negative labelling, derogatory remarks, threats to harm directed at other  pupils/students or staff  of the school.
• Unsafe Touch –

1. Inappropriate body contact with other pupils/students or staff (touching someone’s private body parts).
2. Showing one’s private body parts to others

iii.   Using  language relating to unsafe touch  with  other pupils/students.

1. Any unhealthy informal relationship with other  pupils/students.
2. Viewing movies or video clips on any device  in the school premises  except those approved   by the management  and  projected by the teachers  for educational purpose in which case a teacher must be present to supervise the  exercise.

• Emotional Abuse – Stigmatization, shaming, teaming up with others to ostracise another pupil/student or staff.  
• Bringing prohibited gadgets and literature materials to the school ( mobile phones, pads, headphones, blue tooth speakers, magazines or books containing pictures of naked people or where people are engaged in inappropriate touching  or those that contain violent scenes etc)
• All forms of bullying
• Encouraging or supporting someone to bully another pupil/ student or staff.
• Stealing – Taking another’s belonging without their permission.
• Exchange of gifts with teachers  or other pupils/students
• Placing financial or material demands on other  pupils/students
• Visiting other pupils/students in their homes in school uniforms or without the approval of the parents in both families.
• Allowing other pupils/students to visit one’s home in school uniforms or without the approval of the parents in both families.
• Visiting teachers or other school staff in their homes or meeting them anywhere outside the school premises.
• Participating in or encouraging examination malpractice.
• Sending other pupils/ students on errands.
• Giving of personal items eg notes, textbooks or other study materials to other pupils/students to take home.
• Borrowing of notes,  textbooks  or other study materials  from   other pupils/students and  taking them 
• Taking school’s property home
• Indecent dressing – Girls are not allowed to alter their uniforms to become too tight or short above their knees.
• Inappropriate dressing and misuse of school uniform –wearing the wrong uniform
• Bringing psychoactive substances to the school (alcohol, cigarette, etc)
• Sending of messages to another pupil/student requesting for inappropriate relationship
• Inappropriate relationship between pupils/students
• Rebellious attitude to teachers and school authority
• Disobedience to school rules and regulations.
• Bringing sharp objects to school.

NOTES:

• Breaking of any of the rules above attracts punishment which includes  sweeping, mopping, dusting,  suspension (before  counselling intervention) and outright  expulsion depending on the  gravity  of the offence. 
• A learner insulting or hitting a teacher or any school staff attracts outright expulsion.
• Should another  pupil/ student  or a staff  sustain any injury as a result of  the aggressive behaviour or violent  action  of a   pupil/student, whether such an action was intentional or a mistake,  the parent (s)  of the offending pupil/student shall  be solely responsible for the costs of treatments , legal  consequences and compensation where awarded.
• To this end, all pupils/students and parents are mandated to attend all child protection /safety training organized by the management from time to time. 
• The school shall organise a mandatory orientation programme for the pupils/students during the first or second week of every term.
• To compliment the school’s efforts, parents are expected to acquaint themselves with the above rules and regulations and also discuss them with their wards regularly as they will be taking responsibility alongside with their wards.

UNDERTAKING BY LEARNER/ PARENT

I —————————————————————-do here by state that I agree with the above stated   School Mental Health  policy and the accompanying rules and regulations,  and undertake  that my child will  comply with same. 

Learner’s Signature———————————————–         Date ———————————-

Parent’s Signature———————————————–           Date  ———————————-