Behavior Profile: School Management Teams Create a Safe School Environment
Democracy and Governance Goal: Reduce school-related gender-based violence
School Management Teams create a safe environment for learners, teachers and support staff
% of schools that improved audit checklist score by at least {NUMBER} items since the last assessment

Behavior Analysis

Strategy

BEHAVIOR AND STEPS

What steps are needed to practice this behavior?

School Management Teams create a safe environment for learners, teachers and support staff

  1. Seek and use input from learners, teachers and other staff about what will make the school environment safer
  2. Monitor adherence to national GBV-related laws, policies and School Safety Framework.
  3. Protect confidentiality and privacy of both survivor and accused (alleged perpetrator)
  4. Assign and support teachers and learners to monitor toilets, halls, and playgrounds
  5. Advocate strongly for needed structural improvements (from relevant departments)
  6. Appropriately use resources received for safety-enhancing structural improvements
  7. Uphold behavior codes

FACTORS

What factors may prevent or support practice of this behavior?
Structural
Accessibility: School Management Teams can create a safe environment because policies on school safety are supportive and make constant references to school safety and workplace conditions
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot create a safe environment because teachers, support staff, and students are not motivated or equipped to support or participate in a safe school environment
Service Experience: School Management Teams cannot create a safe environment because of a lack of behavioral systems and policies
Social
Norms: School Management Teams create a safe environment because they are seen as respected managers, administrators and custodians of teaching and learning activities at the school
Internal
Attitudes and Beliefs: School Management Teams do not create a safe environment because they do not believe that the inclusion of gender and sexuality diversity can reduce levels of SRGBV in school systems, but rather feel it will increase SRGBV
Attitudes and Beliefs: School Management Teams create a safe environment because they agree that schools should promote environments where learners and teachers feel physically and emotionally safe, treated fairly, included, and respected
Skills: School Management Teams do not create a safe environment because they lack the ability to manage discipline, including dealing decisively with staff misconduct
Skills: School Management Teams do not create a safe environment because they are unable to build strong relationships with teachers and students
Skills: School Management Teams cannot create a safe environment because they do not know how to provide an open-door policy for discussing SRGBV matters and maintaining confidentiality

SUPPORTING ACTORS AND ACTIONS

Who must support the practice of this behavior, and what actions must they take?
Institutional
District Education Department: Monitor effective implementation of relevant policies in schools
School Based Support Teams (SBST): Develop and implement a comprehensive support plan for School Management Teams, teachers, school support staff and learners
District Education Department: Orient SGBs on Codes of Conduct for Educators and relevant laws and policies related to SRGBV
School Governing Body (SGB): Revise/develop School Codes of Conduct aligned to the NSSF, relevant protocols, policies and SRGBV related legislation
Circuit Manager: Ensure Principals and hearing commissions manage reported incidents of sexual abuse and harassment (provide oversight on case management).
School-based Support Teams (SBSTs): Identify support interventions required for policy/code of conduct/disciplinary procedure implementation e.g. counselling services, court preparation, referral to removal to place of safety, legal representation, medical assistance, admission to rehabilitative programmes and tracking follow up appointments.
School Governing Bodies (SGBs): Hold school management accountable for effective implementation of policies, laws, and guidelines that guard against or respond to SRGBV
School Governing Bodies (SGBs): Orient teachers, parents and learners on the revised policies, codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures and related child protection and GBV laws.
National Council of Educators: Monitor and enforce Educator Codes of Conduct and related child protection and GBV laws
Community
Teachers: Model exemplary behavior and encourage learners to create a safe school environment.
Students: Actively participate in school GBV activities
Household
Parents/Guardians: Attend parents meetings

POSSIBLE PROGRAM STRATEGIES

What strategies will best focus our efforts based on this analysis?

Strategy requires Communication Support

Enabling Environment
Institutional Capacity Building: Hold workshops to review and align school codes of conduct and protocols for the response and management of SRGBV to national policy and guidelines.
Institutional Capacity Building: Orient School Management Team, teachers, and support staff on updated policies on school safety and workplace conditions, Codes of Conduct, and Disciplinary Procedures, and child protection and GBV laws
Partnerships and Networks: Monitor and provide feedback on implementation (gaps and challenges) of School Codes of Conduct, disciplinary procedures, guidelines to SACE and the DED key departments and link with the Masiphephe Network.
Policies and Governance: Conduct policy review and endorsement meetings with SGBs and School Management Teams
Systems, Products and Services
Quality Improvement: Conduct student leadership camps and workshops
Demand and Use
Advocacy: Empower learners to conduct advocacy awareness/education campaigns in schools.
Advocacy: Through trained student leaders, implement advocacy campaigns with School Management Teams, teachers, and parents/guardians
Communication: Orient parents on existing policies
Skills Building: Provide information using best practice case studies, tools and relevant resources (handouts) and ongoing mentorship and coaching for School Management Teams and teachers on techniques for enhancing safety in and around schools.
Skills Building: Assist in conducting School Management Team training workshops on implementation of policies, guidelines, and Education Department expectations
Skills Building: Assess existing school manager training content to strengthen its content