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SessionSession31Creating Safer Schools: Lessons Learned; Strategies for ActionA. Policy, legislation, andgovernanceA whole series of actions are needed tomake policy and legislation more efficient.The participants identified five guidingprinciples on how policy and legislationcan be used more effectively to create saferschools1. Create public awareness andeducation. Educate people on theexistence of the policy and what itmeans for them. Engage a widerange of people in the policy makingprocess through a variety of meansthat makes the policy relevant to theirday -to-day lives. It is only publicBeyond policyDr. Salim Vally, Senior Researcher/Lecturer University of theWitwatersrandWhen working to create saferschools, policy and legislationalone is not sufficient. It’s notunimportant, and it’s a step forward,but by itself, it is not going to bringabout the requisite changes. What weneed, amongst other things, is a trainingprocess, which is meaningful and notrushed, which recognizes the concernsthat teachers and others have with thepolicy. This process should work throughthose concerns and be concrete enoughto provide examples of good practicearound non-violent education and saferschools. But quite often the educationdepartment does not invest enoughresources for this training - it costs moneyand energy, and they are not preparedto do that. It is cheaper just to put out apolicy directive and then policeit, but that is not adequate andit can be counterproductive.pressure that will ultimately ensurejust and equitable policies.2. Identify policy gaps. Survey the policyframework regarding delivery ofeducation and identify in your owncountry and localities, the gaps inpolicies. Use the knowledge andexperience from other countries thatmay be further along to supplementwhat exists in your country.3. Foster effective implementation ofpolicy and legislation.• Ascertain what resources areavailable for people to accesstheir rights within the legislation.• Monitor implementation so it canbe improved, and so the policy’sstrengths and weaknesses areunderstood.• Create a mechanism toinfluence the indicators thatthe government bodies use tomonitor policies, and to broadenthe range to include qualitativeindicators.4. Utilize international instruments,declarations, and conventions.• Put pressure on governmentsto ratify and domesticateinstruments they have signed.• Create regional partnershipswhere experiences from othercountries can help strengtheninternal advocacy.• Provide technical expertise togovernments when neededto translate instruments intopractical activities.5. Create mechanisms for influencingpolicy. A combination of strategies isneeded to change ineffective policies,including campaigning, research, useof the media, litigation, and otherways to access decision makers.19