Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region XII

Division of Sultan Kudarat

District of Kalamansig I

DON MODESTO BUENAFLOR SR. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Dumangas Nuevo

S.Y:2015-2016

CHILD PROTECTION/ANTI- BULLYING POLICY[RA 10627] OF

DON MODESTO BUENAFLOR SR. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

  1. Rationale:

The Don Modesto Buenaflor Sr. Elementary School, Dumangas Nuevo, Kalamansig, .Sultan Kudarat has a total population of more than three hundred [300] every year. So with this, some different problems are being encountered. Though with the presence of Christians and Muslim tribes and with the diversity of culture, it is expected that different beliefs, traditions and practices in life makes a difference. In this, consequences it is possible that pupil’s behaviour also be affected. So therefore, to protect the child it is important to make a School-Based Child Protection and Anti-Bullying Policy which is in line of DepEd Order no. 40, series of 2012 and DepEd Order no. 55, series of 2013.

Pursuant to the 1987 constitution, the state shall defend the right of the children through assistance including proper care, nutrition and special protection coming from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development.

The convention on Rights of the Children [CRC] aims to protect children from all forms of physical or mental violence and others. Though, it is mandated that all measures be underta.ken to ensure that school discipline is administered in a manner of consistency with child’s human dignity and in conformity with the CRC .Furthermore, The school is obliged to provide a peace, caring, friendly and safe environment for all of the clients so they will know a positive and well secured environment with no fear and bullied.

Through this, the school has an objective to ensure this kind of protection from all forms of abuses and exploitations and therefore, accountability is indispensable for the clients good looking through the help of the primary rights, duties and responsibilities of parents, guardians external stakeholders, administrators, teachers and others who are responsibilities in this regards.

  1. Aims and Objectives:
  1. To make sure that all teaching staff together with school head, pupils and parents has a good understanding the term “bullying”.
  2. To ensure that learning environment is free from hazard and threat fear that supports the development and confidence of all pupils of Don Modesto Buenaflor Sr. Elementary School.
  3. To create appropriate actions to solve problem about bullying in school.
  1. Definitions of Terms:
  1. “Child” refers to any individual who are below eighteen (18) years of age or those over but are unable to protect themselves from any forms of abuses because of their physical disability or condition; {RA7610}. The purpose of this order is to include pupils or students who are 18 years of age or older but in school.
  2. “Children in School” refers to bona fide pupils, students or learners who are enrolled in the basic education system, whether regular and irregular, transferee

Or repeater including those who have been temporarily out of school youth, who are in school or learning centres premises or participating in school sanctioned activities.

  1. Pupils/ Students or Learner means the child who regularly attends classes in any level of basic education system under the supervision tutelage of a teacher or facilitator.
  2. “School Personnel” means the persons, singly or collectively, working in a public or private school. They are classified as follows.
  1. “ School Head” refers to the chief executive officer or administrator or public or private school or learning centre.
  2. “Other School Officials” include other school officers, including teachers, who are occupying supervisory positions of responsibility and are involved in policy formulation or implementation in a school.
  3. Other Personnel includes all other non academic personnel in the school, whatever may be the nature of their appointment and status of employment.
  1. “Child Protection” refers to programs, services, procedures and students that are intended to prevent and respond to abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination and violence.
  2. “Parents”- refers to biological parents, step parents and the common- law spouse or partner of the parent.
  3. ‘”Guardians or Custodians refers to legal guardians, foster parents and other persons, including relatives or even non – relatives, who have physical custody of the child.
  4. “Violence against Children committed in schools refers a single acts committed by school administrators, academic and non academic personnel against a child, which result in or is likely to results in physical, sexual, psychological harm or suffering or other abuses including threats of such acts, battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty. It includes but it is limited to the following acts:
  1. Physical violence 3. Physiological violence
  2. Sexual violence 4. Other acts of violence
  1. Bullying or Peer Abuse refers to the wilful aggressive behaviour that is directed towards a particular victim who may be out- numbered, younger, weak, with disability, less confident, otherwise vulnerable, more particularly Bullying.
  2. “Other acts of abuse by a pupil, students or learner – refers to other serious acts of abuse committed by a pupil, students or learner of the same school, not failing under the definitions of “bullying” in the preceding, including but not limited to acts of a physical, sexual or psychological nature.

k. “Corporal Punishment” _ refers to a kind of punishment or penalty imposed for an alleged or an actual offense, which is carried out or inflicted, for the purpose of discipline, training or control by a teacher, school administrator, an adult, or any other child who has been given or has assumed authority or responsibility for punishment or discipline. It includes physical humiliating or degrading punishment including but not limited to the following:

1)Beating, kicking, hitting, slapping, or lashing of any part of a child’s body, with or without the use of an instrument, but not limited to a cane ,broom, stick, whip or belt;

2)Striking of a child’s face or head, such as being declared as a “ no contact zone”,

3)Pulling hair, shaking, twisting joints, cutting or piercing skin, dragging, pushing, or throwing of a child;

4)Forcing a child to perform physically painful or damaging acts such as, but not limited to, holding a weight or weights for an extended period and kneeling of stones, salts, pebbles or other objects;

5)Deprivation of a child’s physical needs as a form of punishments;

6)Deliberate exposure to fire, ice, water, smoke, sunlight, rain, pepper, alcohol, or forcing the child to swallow substances, dangerous chemicals, and other materials that can cause discomfort or threaten the child’s health, safety and sense of security such as, but not limited to bleach or insecticides, excrement or urine.

7)Confinement, imprisonment or depriving the liberty of a child;

8)Verbal abuse or assaults, including intimidation or threat of bodily harm, swearing or cursing, ridiculing or denigrating the child;

9)Forcing a child to wear a sign, to undress or disrobe, or to put on anything that will make a child look or feel foolish, which belittles or humiliates the child in front of others:

10)Permanent confiscation of personal property of pupils, students or learners, except when such pieces of property pose a danger to the or to others; and

11)Other analogous acts.

  1. “Positive and Non- Violent Discipline of Children” is a way of thinking and a holistic, constructive and pro- active approach to teaching that helps children develop appropriate thinking and behaviour in the short and long term and foster self- discipline. It is based on the fundamental principle that children are full human beings with basic human rights. Positive discipline begins with setting the long term goals or impacts that teachers want to have on their student’s adult lives, and using everyday situations and challenges as opportunities to teach life- long skills and values to students.
  1. Duties and Responsibilities of School Head, Teachers, Parents, Pupils and Child Protection Committee.
  1. Head Teacher or School Head responsibilities:

To carry out investigation with all parties ensuring that each has equal hearing.

  • If appropriate, to inform parents/guardians of all parties of incident.
  • If necessary, to bring the parties together in order to form a resolution/action plan to end bullying, the school head will ensure that all parties have support of a parent/guardian
  • To ensure no child will be placed in a situation in front of external parties without equal parent/guardian support.
  1. Teacher’s Responsibilities:
  • To listen to children’s concerns and always take them seriously.
  • To investigate any incidents, allowing all parties concerned to give their account of what happened.
  • To be fair in dealing with all children and judge each case on its merits
  • To take action to address the problem, using the range of strategies and sanctions outlined in the Rules and Regulations of the School
  • To make a note of incidents considered to be of a serious nature(i.e requiring some form of action) and bring these to the attention of the School Head.
  • At classroom level, make class rules against bullying.

Rules should be brief and clear. Always suggest the following examples:

  1. We will not bully other students/pupils.
  2. We will try to help students/ pupils who are bullied.

Giveimmediate consequences for aggressive behaviour and immediate rewards for inclusive. Possible sanctions include having the bully:

  1. Apologize
  2. Discuss the incident with the teacher, principal and or parents
  3. Pay for damaged belongings
  4. Forfeit recess and other privileges
  • Weekly meeting to communicate to students/ pupils and consistently enforced expectations and engage them as resources in preventing bullying behaviour
  • Ongoing communications with parents.
  1. Parents responsibilities:

Stress to the children the importance of social behaviour.

  • Support the school’s policy by encouraging children to deal with bullying by reporting it, and not by becoming aggressive in return.
  • Report any concerns you have regarding behaviour to classroom teacher as soon as possible.
  • Try to retain the spirit of partnership in any dealings between home and school even if you don’t agree with the actions taken. Always act as a mediator for the benefit of our school children.
  • Always remember that the school will deal with anything happen and do not ask anybody or children in your own. This can make the situation more worst and can cause more problem.
  1. Pupil’s responsibility:

Children are asked to:

Follow the school’s Golden Rule:

“Be good to others at anytime”

  • Report any incident of bullying to your class adviser or any school staff as soon as possible
  • Be considerate and supportive to the needs of others: report any suspected incidents on behalf of children who may be unable or unwilling to do so themselves.
  • Never try to solve a problem for yourself or others through aggressive means. Don’t try to out – bull the bully!. Always seek adult help.
  1. Child Protection Committee Responsibilities/ Functions
  • Support the school head in all attempts to avoid bullying in school. The committee will not condone any bullying at all in school, and any incidents of bullying happened that occurs will be taken very seriously, and dealt with appropriately: the committee member will record the details of the incidents and discuss it with the pupils to ensure accuracy, if the parent is unsatisfied the way the school has dealt with a bullying incident, they should follow the DepEd’s Complaints procedure.
  • Functions of CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE:

1) Make a school child committee protection policy with a code of conduct and a plan to ensure child protection and safety, which shall be reviewed every three years. The template for the school child protection policy is attached as annex C;

2)Conduct information dissemination programs and organize activities for and the protection of children from abuse, exploitation, violence, discrimination and bullying or peer abuse;

3)Develop the implementation of school-based referral and monitoring system is attached in Annex D.

4)Establish a system for identifying pupils who maybe suffering from significant harm based on any physical, emotional or behavioural signs;

5)Identify , and if necessary report to the immediate offices involving child abuse with regards to bullying.

6)Give assistance to parents or guardians, if necessary in securing expert guidance counselling from the immediate offices;

7)Coordinate closely with the Women and Child Protection Desks of Philippine National Police, the Local Social welfare and Development Office and other government and non- government offices.

COMPOSITION OF CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE:

  1. Chairperson - Mr. Rogelio C. Raymundo

School Head

  1. Vice Chairperson - Mrs. Maricar D. Castillano

School Guidance Coordinator

  1. Representative of the teacher as designated by the School Organization

Mrs. Leonida S. Barcelon

  1. Representative of the Parents as designated by the Parents Teachers Association

Mr. IreneoBiaca Jr.

PTA President

  1. Representative of Pupils and learners as designated by the SPG - Carmel Faith Respicio
  2. Representative from the community as designated by the PunongBarangay, preferably a member of the Barangay council for the protection of children [BCPC]- Kag. Malonso U. Diarol BarangayKagawad
  1. Preventive Measures to address Child Abuse, Anti- Bullying and other Acts of Abuse
  1. Capacity Building of School Officials, Personnel, Parents and pupils

All public and private elementary and secondary schools shall build the capacities of school personnel, pupils, students, and learners, parents, and guardians to understand and deal with the child abuse, exploitation, violence, and discrimination cases.

They shall use the training modules which include positive and non- violent reaction in the classroom management, anger and stress management and gender sensitivity.

  1. Interventions
  1. Tips to Help Prevent Bullying:
  1. For Parents and guardians
  • Talk and listen to your children everyday
  • Spend time at school and at home
  • Be a good model
  • Create Healthy Anti- Bullying Habits
  • Make sure your child understand bullying
  1. For Teachers:
  • Know your school policies on bullying
  • Treat your pupils with respect
  • Conduct classroom activities about bullying
  • Discuss bullying with co- workers
  • Take immediate action
  1. For School Head:
  • Develop a school wide code of conduct
  • Increase adult supervision
  • Conduct bullying prevention activities
  1. Protective and Remedial measures to address Child Abuse, Bullying and other acts of Abuse
  1. Procedures in Handling Bullying incidents in school:
  • A complaint for bullying or peer abuse shall be acted upon by the school head following the procedures:
  1. Bullying- upon the filing of a complaint or notice by a school personnel or officials of any peer abuse incidents, it shall be reported immediately to the school head who shall inform the parents or guardians of the victim and the offending child, in a meeting called for the purpose. The victim shall be referred to the Child Protection Committee for counselling and interventions.
  2. Procedure- In all cases where the possible penalty on the offending child is suspension, the following minimum requirements of due process shall be complied with:
  1. The child and the parents or guardians must be informed of the complaint in writing:
  2. The child shall be given the opportunity to answer the complaint in writing, with the assistance of the parents or guardians:
  3. The decision of the school head may be appealed, as provided in the existing rules of the department.
  1. Implementation of Non- Punitive punishment

Depending on the gravity of the bullying committed by any pupil, the school may impose other non- punitive measures, in lieu of punitive measures in accordance with the principles positive and non- violent discipline.

  1. Rules and Procedures in Handling Child Abuse ,Bullying and other acts of Abuse
  1. Prohibited Acts
  • Being unfriendly, excluding tormenting (example, hiding books, threatening)
  • Pushing , kicking, hitting, punching, or any use of violence
  • Racial discrimination
  • Name- calling sarcasm, teasing
  • Mobile threats by text messaging and calls
  1. Procedures for Recording and reporting bullying behaviour

The following steps may be taken when dealing with incidents:

  • If bullying is reported, the incident will be dealt with immediately by the member of staff who has been approached.
  • A clear account of the incident will be recorded in the class behaviour file through the guidance counsellor and a copy given to the head teacher.
  • The head teacher will interview all concerned and will record the incident in the bullying incident file
  • Classroom teacher will be kept informed
  • Parent will be kept informed
  • Sanctions will be used as appropriate
  • Racist incidents are reported immediately to the governing body.
  1. Procedures for dealing with a complaint made by a parent with regards to bullying

*where a complaint is received, the school will follow the guidelines as set out in their anti – bullying policy. The guidelines are as follows:

* Parents are invited to discuss the matter with the school Head.

* A record is kept of the interview and the nature of the compliant.

  • A record of action already taken by the schools is shown to the parents/careers.
  • Further action to be taken is agreed with the parents ( and the child) and is recorded
  • A date for the further contact with the parents is made. A future meeting takes place to monitor the situation.
  • Complaints of bullying and other child abuse shall be within the exclusive jurisdiction of the school/district and shall not be brought for amicable settlement before the Barangay, subject to the existing laws, rules, and regulations. Complaints for act committed by persons not under the jurisdiction of the Disciplinary authority of the school/district shall be referred to the appropriate authorities.
  • Confidentiality. In child abuse, bullying or peer abuse and other acts of abuse by a pupil, students or learner, the identity or other information that may reasonably identify the pupil, students or learner, whether victim or offender, shall be withheld from the public to protect his or her privacy.
  1. Sanctions:

A number of sanctions are available as a deterrent or punishment for bullying.

1st offense: Playtime or recess detention

2nd offense: Exclusion from certain areas of the school premises

3rd offense: 3 (three) days suspension

  1. Referral and Assessment of Victims and Offender and Other Children

*Referral and Assessment