Why do schools practise what to do during an emergency?

In Part 1 of our special Why Pals News series, we learnt about three young Singaporeans who were detained after becoming radicalised and planning violent attacks. One of them, a 14-year-old Secondary 2 student, had planned to attack students and teachers at his own school.

Thankfully, someone at the school noticed warning signs and alerted the authorities, allowing the Internal Security Department (ISD) to step in before anyone was hurt. The case has raised an important question for students and parents: What would happen if a real emergency took place in a school?

Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) says schools already prepare for such situations. Schools and institutes of higher learning conduct workshops, scenario-based discussions, drills and exercises to prepare for possible threats that could come from both outside and within the school. These exercises teach students and staff how to respond immediately, recognise warning signs, report something worrying and alert the right people when help is needed.

Students are also taught an important safety response called "Run-Hide-Tell". If there is a serious danger nearby and it is safe to escape, RUN quickly and quietly away from the danger using the safest route. If you cannot safely get away, HIDE somewhere out of sight, stay quiet and avoid drawing attention to yourself. When it is safe to do so, TELL a trusted adult or the authorities what you have seen and where the danger is. Listen carefully to your teachers and follow their instructions. Emergency exercises may sometimes feel frightening or unusual, but practising does not mean that an attack is expected to happen.

Think about a fire drill. Schools practise leaving a building safely even though they do not expect a fire to happen that day. Pilots practise emergency procedures, firefighters train for dangerous situations and athletes practise before competitions. In the same way, schools practise emergencies so that teachers and students are more prepared if something unexpected ever happens. MOE also works to prevent dangerous situations before they happen.

Teachers, counsellors and school leaders are also trained to identify students who may be at risk of becoming radicalised online so that support can be provided early. Secondary school personal learning devices have filtering software to block objectionable material, including extremist websites, while school wireless networks also use website filtering systems.

But technology cannot catch everything. Students themselves can play an important role by speaking up when something does not seem right. If a friend talks seriously about hurting someone, repeatedly shares violent or hateful material, or says something that makes you worried that somebody could be in danger, do not keep it a secret. Tell a teacher, parent, school counsellor or another trusted adult.

In the recent case involving the 14-year-old student, Education Minister Desmond Lee and Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said it was fortunate that someone in the school noticed the warning signs and alerted the authorities. That single decision helped the authorities act before the planned attack could happen. Schools cannot prevent every possible danger by building higher fences or putting security officers everywhere. Mr Shanmugam said Singapore also has to balance security with allowing students to move around and experience school normally.

This is why preparedness, awareness and looking out for one another are so important. An emergency drill is therefore not meant to make children afraid. It teaches us something very different: when we know what to do, listen to instructions and speak up when something is wrong, every one of us can play a part in keeping our schools safe.

Think About It If you noticed something that made you worried someone might get hurt, would you know which adult to tell? If there was an emergency at school, could you remember the three words: Run, Hide, Tell?

Next in Part 3: Why can the internet change the way someone thinks, and how can we protect ourselves from harmful ideas online?