ISO : Child Protections Guidelines for the 2020 School Year

September 18, 2020

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Dear Parent of the International School of Ouagadougou,

The ISO Board of Trustees, as well as the guidelines from our accrediting agency, the Middle States States Association for colleges and schools, requires me to inform parents about the measures in place at ISO to guide staff and families in matters related to the health, safety and care of children attending our school. Our child protection guidelines define the standards of respect and dignity to which all ISO students are entitled; they are inspired by the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, of which Burkina Faso is a signatory, and which includes clear provisions for the protection of children from abuse and neglect (Article 19) and from sexual exploitation (Article 34).

Reflecting our commitment to provide a safe environment in which our students can learn and grow, ISO provides age appropriate lessons at all grade levels to help students understand needs, rights and obligations in the domain of personal safety. The school also provides annual training for teaching and other staff in how to recognize and report suspected cases of abuse or neglect, and all ISO staff members sign an acknowledgement form to abide by the high standards espoused by our child protection guidelines.

This, more than any other, is an area in which the entire community of staff, students and parents has to work together at home and school to ensure that our children are and feel safe, and are knowledgeable and comfortable about their rights and responsibilities to themselves and to each other. I invite you to consult ISO’s child protection guidelines, which can be found at www.iso.bf/child-protection-guidelines and encourage you to contact the relevant principal or Dean regarding any specific questions you may have in this regard.

Sincerely,

Mr. Jeff Trudeau
Director