Reports of an attempted kidnap of a form one pupil at a top Harare School are worrisome. So a form one pupil can be kidnapped at school? Now this is scary and we thank the Almighty that the pupil managed foil the kidnap and reported the case to school authorities. The school has since tightened security controls and we share with you the story because this can happen at your own school. We have decided to tackle an important area which many businesses take for granted-Risk Management.
We start by asking ourselves what can go wrong at a school? What are the greatest risks that can affect a school?
1. Kidnapping or pupils going missing
2. Sexual Abuse.
4. Injury to pupils
5. Disease Outbreaks
6. Disastrous pass rates
The list is long and every school must always ensure that they monitor risks . It is a fast changing world and especially and the availability of social media accelerates the rate of change and in the process the nature of risks are fast changing as well. A number of our members operate schools and they need to be fully aware of risks affecting them and have effective risk management systems in place. Its needs to be noted that you cannot eliminate risks…rather you can only reduce them or transfer them and not completely reduce them to zero.
How the attempted kidnap events unfolded
An identified man goes to the school and immediately identifies a form one pupil. He tells her that he had been send by her dad to collect her from school. He mentions the name of the kid and also the dad’s name.
The kid confused, asks what has happened to her dad? The man says he is running late and has overtime issues to deal with. The pupil further asks about her mum and the man replies that her mum has gone out of town.
Still confused, the kid probes further and asks the man where her dad works? The man does not answer convincingly and upon realizing this, the kid tells the man that she is going to report him to the school security.
The unidentified man then dashes out of the school yard and disappears into thin air. Later on it turns out that this was an attempted kidnap…the father of the pupil had not send anyone to collect his child.
Implication
1.This can happen to your own kid-sensitize your kid about this danger.
2. What if the kidnapper was a relative? Now that scary because the kid could easily have trusted the relative and vanish without trace.
3. How did the alleged kidnapper get to know about the name of the kid? Are you sharing more than necessary information about your kids on Social Media? Posting photos of your kids and their names on your Facebook Profiles and Whatsapp’s? You may need to revise this, not everyone lurking on the Internet has good intentions.
4. Schools should integrate risk management in their operations. Effective risk management means involving all stakeholders from pupils, parents or guardians and relevant ministry officials. They should come up with a risk strategy of how they will manage, monitor and take corrective action. This is an ongoing process as risks are forever changing.
5. Do schools have sufficient personnel for risk management? Probably not as most schools employ low level bursars with little experience on risk management. A look at most school bursar positions adverts will show that they need someone with a Diploma or first degree in Accounting to manage school finances…..these bursars concentrate their business on transactional processing and reporting and rarely do they opportunities to implement strategic risk management issues. Risk management is therefore left to school heads without training or experience on risk management.
Recommendation and Conclusion.
Take risk management seriously at schools, a number of things can go wrong and the worst that can happen is loss of a pupil within school premises. The school is liable, parents are liable, the ministry is liable…everyone is liable.
Recruit competent School Development Associations. Check the qualifications and experience of the bursar.Is he or she a qualified accountant? What is his or her experience on auditing and risk management?
Schools want to cut on costs and employ bursars who do not demand a lot of money. A cost cutting measure that can cost the school dearly.
Does your school have a risk management in place? Have you seen it? Or even a basic risk register? Does it include or all risks? Were you involved in the crafting of the strategy? Did they ask for your input or did you volunteer to offer input?
Its scary isnt it? The good thing is that you have seen this ZBIN write up, kindly share and also take corrective action. This applies to the pre-school where you send your kid, applies to primary schools and what is shocking is that high schools are not spared.
Take corrective action and help save pupils at schools. This story features in our book on investment opportunities for Zimbabweans under investment in schools.
