THERE are some phone calls which you never hope to receive, especially if it comes from the school where your son or daughter studies. If what they had to say had been good news, you would have received it in writing, but it is a phone call from the school clinic.

A few weeks back, we did receive such a call. This was from the doctor on duty at the school where my youngest daughter, Ariel, is enrolled. The news was about my daughter slipping and hitting the back of her head on the pavement.

We appreciate the concern and prompt action of the doctor for informing us right away and assuring us that our daughter was all right. However, on our own, we took our daughter to the hospital for the necessary tests such as CT scans and X-rays to ensure that she is truly all right.

Calls such as those will always be a cause for worry and anxiety. We send our children to the best schools for the good education and the safe environment these supposedly provide, because we know that we cannot always be with them 24/7. But just how safe are these schools? Our daughter?s accident happened in a newly constructed gym while playing badminton in her PE class, due to a wet and slippery concrete floor.

The gym was constructed with louvers and metal slats as wall cladding, allowing for natural ventilation. However, such a setup is not enough to prevent the entry of rain. When the rain turned the flooring slick, it should have been prudent for the authorities to disallow the students to play there.

This must serve as a wake-up call to all school administrators. When parents enrol their children in schools, they do so under a solemn trust that these institutions would guide their children?s education and uphold their safety throughout their stay in campus. In response, schools have the responsibility to care for these young individuals. Although education is the main focus of any school, that noble aim can only be achieved if the child?s safety and well-being is at the forefront of their concerns.

Safety issues

Driving my children to different schools, I am often able to recognize the safety issues that must be addressed in school campuses. For instance, traffic and security personnel seem to be doing a good job assisting and protecting the students at the crosswalks, but they have their hands full with toddlers being dropped off three lanes away from the school gates. Although the drivers have the option to stop closer to the gate, the tight traffic situation does not always favor this.

The drop-off for little children must be planned extra carefully to avoid any vehicular accidents. If at all possible, this must be situated in a different and quieter gate.

Why are some student drop-off areas not effectively protected from the elements? A canopy over the driveway could be a solution.

In another school a child fell from the second floor because he tried to get out through a bathroom window when a faulty doorknob locked him in. This scenario could have been avoided if regular maintenance checks had been made.

I hope authorities focus more of their efforts on analyzing and inspecting such structures, because their users are among the most vulnerable in our society.

As a parent, an architect and a writer, I believe it is my duty to remind school administrators, building officials, other architects and builders to clear out all the safety issues before allowing even one child to step into their premises. It is infinitely better to do it now than be sorry for a lifetime.

Please e-mail your comments and questions to marcosdeguzman@yahoo.com.