The
Ministry of Education (MoE) on Tuesday released a, draft with recommendations for schools on how to improve their sensitivity, understanding, and support in the event of suspected self-harm. The draft titled UMMEED (Understand, Motivate, Manage, Empathise, Empower, Develop) has guidelines for schools.
These include measures such as setting up a School Wellness Team (SWT), identifying students exhibiting warning signs and at risk of self-harm, responding immediately and supporting such students, among others.
Following the fundamental principle that "every child matters", the new recommendations seeking public feedback provide specific instructions to schools on how to increase sensitivity, understanding, and help in the event of reported self-harm.
In order to prevent suicide and lessen the stigma attached to suicidal behaviours, the guidelines also underline the importance of creating relationships between the community, parents, and schools.
Along with locking empty
classrooms, lighting dark hallways, and cleaning places with excessive grass growth, the draft also suggests removing harmful notions like comparisons with classmates and the belief that failure is permanent.
“A School Wellness Team may be formed under the leadership of the school principal, where each SWT member is oriented in handling crisis situations. When a student displaying warning signs has been identified, they need to be reported to the SWT, which takes immediate action. The SWT will also play an important role in the implementation of school activities directed towards creating awareness about mental well-being, leading towards suicide prevention.” state the guidelines.
The guidelines advise SWT to be reconstituted on a regular basis, depending on the resources available within the school, to provide all stakeholders the chance to increase knowledge and capacity.
According to the standards, students go through a number of transitions during their time in school, some of which can be extremely stressful. These include the transition from home to school and from school to college, as well as the loss of a parent, sibling, friend, or other close relative.
The recommendations also noted that children undergo changes as they move through developmental phases, which can result in worries about things like physical changes and appearance, peer pressure, job options, academic pressure, and many other things.
“Amidst these challenges, a single insensitive comment has the potential to inflict lasting harm,” the guidelines noted.
The instructions outline the steps that may be done by a person at the school or a member of the wellness team on observing a student exhibiting warning symptoms or found trying self-harm, stressing the need for an early response to such a case.
