Safe Learning Environments (SLE) Assessment Baseline Study

The study was conducted in six counties and involved interviews with 275 learners and 48 school personnel. The assessment used the ECCN SLE toolkit to measure the five risk areas prioritized by the Government of Liberia's Accelerated Learning Program Technical Working Group: corporal punishment, sexual violence, bullying and school climate, environmental hazards, and substance abuse. The survey found that while most students and school personnel perceive a positive school climate, there is room for improvement. Perception of safety and positive school climate was a key finding of the study. While most students reported feeling safe at school, most did not feel safe on the way to or from school. A full 40% of students reported that there are places in or near the school where it is not safe for girls or boys to go alone. Positive perceptions of safety were slightly more frequent among rural than urban participants. Bullying was found to be prevalent in the study. About half of the students reported that they had heard about someone in their school who experienced bullying, and almost 2 in 5 students reported that this had happened to a close friend or family member. The most common forms of bullying reported by students were psychological, such as name calling. Sexual violence victimization was also a significant finding of the study. 37% of the students reported that they had heard about someone in or near their school who experienced sexual violence. 26.1% of the students reported that they had experienced such a thing themselves while at school, or while traveling to or from school. The prevalence of sexual violence reported in this study is similar to that reported in other studies in Liberian schools. Corporal punishment was another key finding of the study. 37.5% of the students had heard about someone in their school who experienced corporal punishment. The most common forms of corporal punishment included hitting students with any type of object, forcing students to stand or kneel in a way that hurts, and hitting students with a hand or closed fist. Gangs and substance abuse were found to be relatively rare in the study. Only a few students reported that there are gangs at their school, and only a small percentage of students reported that they have been involved in acts such as carrying a harmful object or selling illegal drugs. Health and hazards were also assessed in the study. The most common natural hazards reported by school personnel were strong winds and floods. Only 37.5% of the school personnel reported that something to withstand expected hazards had been done at their schools. A third of the school personnel reported that a topic on natural disaster preparedness and risk reduction had been introduced in the school to help learners deal with emergencies. Overall, the study found that while there are some positive aspects of the school environment, there are also significant challenges that need to be addressed. The study provides a baseline assessment of the SLE in Liberia and will inform the development of interventions to improve the safety and well-being of students and school personnel.