The Diocesan Commission for Justice and Peace in Bangladesh’s Rajshahi diocese held a seminar last week to train teachers how to make children feel safer in schools.
“Teachers have to be conscious about caring for children because they are the future generation and the future of our Church,” said Italian priest Dino Giacominelli, parish priest of Saint Fabrice’s Church.
He said the family, society, and the school play a role in the well-being of children.
Father Sagor Corraya, convener of the Peace and Justice Commission of the diocese, “child abuse and protection” are “hot topics in today’s world.”
“It is the moral responsibility of every teacher and school staff to ensure that children are not subjected to physical, mental, emotional and sexual harassment in the family, in school, and even in other places,” said the priest.
He said everyone needs to keep an eye on the “do’s and don’ts of children in school.”
The “child protection seminar” held on March 11 was attended by teachers from Saint Francis Xavier’s Primary School and Miriam Shishu Biddyaloy at Natore.
“The school children are like our own children,” said one participant, adding that “the suffering of children means our suffering too.”
“I am very happy to participate in this child protection seminar and I am happy to learn about the overall aspects of child protection, which is very important nowadays,” said Anil Purification, assistant headmaster at Saint Francis Xavier’s Primary School.
Sister Sukriti B. Gregory, headmaster at Miriam Shishu Biddyaloy, Natore, said she learned a lot about child protection, adding that it will be helpful for her “future teaching life.”
