Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education

Region XII

Kidapawan City Division

GINATILAN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

Ginatilan, Kidapawan City

SCHOOL CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

I. INTRODUCTION

Ginatilan National High School is a learning institution where the total development of the learner is given optimum attention. Each individual, students, teachers and faculty are given what they truly deserve in terms of rights, privileges, and fair treatment in accordance with the existing law of the land. Our common goal of making our school a child-friendly learning institution where the future leaders of our nation will be mould, work together as a family in order to create and maintain an environment where love, mutual respect, charity, compassion, cooperation, and unity prevails.

II. AIMS OF THE SCHOOL

Pursuant to the 1987 Constitution, “the State shall defend the rights of the children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty, exploitation and other conditions prejudicial to their development.” (Art. XV, Sec.3 (2).

This institution seeks to uphold and protect the dignity and self-worth of every learner regardless of their economic status, religion, ethnicity, education, values, opinions and dreams in life. Through policies and other legal means, the school is duty-bound to address bullying cases and to come up with mechanics and system to eradicate all forms of bullying in the school. It does not only affect the bullied and the bully, inasmuch as its negative effects will cascade to their families and friends.

III. RATIONALE OF THIS POLICY

1. It is the mandate of the Department of Education for each public elementary and secondary schools in the country to have its policy on bullying. It was clearly defined and stated in the Implementing Rules & Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act No. 10627, “an Act requiring all elementary and secondary schools

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to adopt policies to prevent and address the acts of bullying in their institutions or otherwise known as “The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013.”

2. A policy will serve as the guide/blueprint of the school administration and the students in implementing anti-bullying policies and how to address its violation/s.

3. The school firmly believes that each student is entitled to quality education in a safe, secured, and stimulating environment.

IV. AIMS OF THIS POLICY

1. To provide and maintain a safe and child-friendly environment where the dignity of each student is constantly safeguarded.

2. To encourage students to develop an environment that promotes respect and tolerance for others.

3. To develop an environment where both the victims and witnesses can stand and speak up for the truth.

4. To be able to identify the type/nature of bullying that takes place in the school.

5. To take appropriate action/s to address bullying incidents.

6. To develop a program of support for the victims and the bully in such a way that the victim will be able to positively overcome the traumatic experience/s brought about by the incident and for the bully to overcome such behavior.

7. To increase awareness of bullying as a form of aberrant behavior among teachers, students, parents, guardians and non-teaching staff of the school.

8. To establish a system of detecting and reporting any incident of bullying in the school.

V. SCOPE OF THIS POLICY

A. To WHOM It Applies:

* This policy applies to bullying issues concerning our students.

* This policy also covers the school staff, and parents/guardians.

B. WHERE It Applies:

* This policy is applicable in school.

* This also applies in school events like sports, field trips, and other school related activities (approved by the school) regardless of location.

Continued

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VI. DEFINITION OF TERMS

Bullying - the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively impose domination over others. The behavior is often repeated and becomes habitual. Behaviors used to assert such includes verbal abuse or threat, physical assault, or coercion, and such acts may be directed repeatedly towards particular targets. Justifications and rationalizations for such behaviors sometimes include differences of class, race, religion, gender, sexuality, appearance, behavior, body language, personality, reputation, lineage, strength, size or ability.

Targets – victims of bullying

Verbal Abuse – when somebody is putting another person down with words

Intimidation – (also called cowing) is an intentional behavior that “would cause a person of ordinary sensibilities” fear of injury or harm.

Threat – an act of coercion wherein an act is proposed to elicit a negative response. It is a communicated intent to inflict harm or loss on another person.

VII. CONSULTATION

This policy was the result of a thorough consultation & deliberation with:

  • The SSG
  • PTA
  • Teaching Staff

VIII. EDUCATION ON BULLYING

To ensure wide dissemination and awareness of this policy, the school will:

  • Discuss it during school assemblies;
  • Include it in the school rules & regulations;
  • Put up Signage and print flyers about bullying;
  • Conduct poster & slogan making on bullying during related activities.

Continued

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IX. CHILD PROTECTION COMMITTEE

1. Reynaldo H. Herrera……………….. Chairperson

2. Edith P. Panolino………………………Vice-Chariperson

3. Alita S. Namion…………………… Prefect of Discipline

4. Edgar Evasco……………………….. Teacher Assn President

5. Jelvie T. Tumanda………………….. PTA President

6. CiarameFlorentino…………………… SSG President

7. Hon.NesiolinMalinao………………. BarangayKagawad (Comm. On Education)

X. GUIDELINES

A. Teachers’ Guidelines for detecting, reporting and handling incidents of bullying:

  • Be vigilant for early signs of distress among the students;
  • Be prepared and ready to handle bullying incidents brought to your attention;
  • Take incident report/s seriously;
  • Make the student/s understand that the total confidentiality of the incident cannot be guaranteed. The incident may be referred or elevated to the principal;
  • All cases of bullying observed or reported must be reported to the principal;
  • Offer immediate support and help to the victim/s;
  • After thorough investigation was conducted and conclusions were made, appropriate sanctions will be imposed;
  • Additional support, if necessary, shall be offered to both the victim and the bully.

B. Guidelines for a Student Subjected to Bullying

What To Do:

  • Don’t try to handle the problem on your own;
  • Don’t react to the bully – this may lead to accusations against you;
  • Don’t exaggerate. Always tell the truth about the incident;
  • Take record of all incidents;
  • Confide what happened to a reliable and trustworthy adult/s.

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Who To Inform

  • A teacher
  • Any staff you can trust
  • Principal
  • Student Peer

C. Students Accused of Bullying

Can expect to be:

  • Treated with fairness;
  • Helped to change their undesirable behavior;
  • Involved in deciding how to make amends or compensate for his wrongdoing/s.

D. Guidelines for Parents/Guardians

If a parent/guardian suspects that their children is being bullied, or is bullying another student, they should inform the school immediately before the problem escalates. Bullying in school can only be addressed if parents, teachers and the students will collaboratively work together.

Parents/guardians should be aware of the following symptoms that their son/daughter is being bullied:

1. The child is reluctant/hesitant to go to school;

2. The child may have possessions damaged or lost;

3. The child may unusually ask for extra money;

4. The child may become unusually silent, or may be crying or sleep badly at night;

5. The child’s appetite is adversely affected;

6. The child may have unexplained contusions, scratches or bruises

7. The child’s academic performance suddenly decline;

8. The child may become unusually secretive or possessive with their cell phone, or laptop.

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E. Parents of a child accused of bullying

  • The child offender will be treated fairly and the due process will be followed;
  • The anti-bullying implementing rules & regulations has been agreed by the parents, students, and reflected in school rules & regulations;
  • Support services will be made available for their child, if deemed necessary.

XI. Linked Policies

The Anti-Bullying Policy is in conjunction with the following policies:

  • Child Protection Policy;
  • School Rules & Regulations;
  • Health & Safety Policy

XII. Review

This policy will be subjected to review every three (3) years.

Prepared by:

EDITH P. PANOLINO

Vice-Chairperson

School Child Protection Committee

Noted:

REYNALDO H. HERRERA

School Head/Chairperson