Security Precautions: Personal Measures – Basic 1 Security Education Lesson Note (Second Term)

Personal security means taking care of yourself and protecting yourself from physical harm, emotional harm, theft or any other danger. It means being alert, aware and careful about your safety. In this lesson, pupils learn how to keep their bodies safe, deal with strangers, share information carefully, look after belongings, and get help when lost.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• State personal security measures.
• Identify the types of adults to trust and the adults to be careful with.
• Discuss why personal security precaution is necessary.

What is personal security?

Personal security is about making smart choices that keep you safe. It means protecting yourself from physical harm, emotional harm, theft, or any kind of danger. Today we will learn personal security measures.

Why is personal security precaution necessary?

1. You are valuable: You are precious and deserve to be safe.
2. Dangers exist: There are real dangers in the world.
3. Prevention works: Being careful prevents most problems.
4. Independence: You need to know how to protect yourself.
5. Responsibility: You have a responsibility to keep yourself safe.
6. Peace of mind: Being safe helps you feel happy and secure.
7. Your future: Staying safe today protects your future.
8. Loved ones: Your family worries about you and wants you safe.

What are the important personal security measures?

1. Body safety

Know your body parts

• Your body belongs to you alone.
• You have private parts that no one should touch.
• Private parts are the parts covered by underwear.

Body safety rules

• No one should touch your private parts.
• No one should ask you to touch their private parts.
• No one should take pictures of your private parts.
• No one should show you pictures of private parts.

Good touch and bad touch

Good touches (safe):

• Hugs from family
• Pat on the back
• Holding hands with parents
• Doctor examining you (with a parent present)
• Touches that make you feel happy and safe

Bad touches (unsafe):

• Any touch that makes you uncomfortable
• Touching private parts
• Touches that hurt
• Secret touches you are told not to tell
• Touches that make you feel scared or confused

Important: If anyone touches you in a way that makes you uncomfortable:

• Say “NO!” firmly.
• Move away.
• Tell a trusted adult immediately.
• Do not keep it a secret.
• It is not your fault.

2. Stranger danger

Who is a stranger?

A stranger is someone you don’t know well, even if they:

• Seem nice
• Know your name
• Say they know your parents
• Offer you gifts
• Look friendly
• Are other children

Important: Most strangers are not bad people, but we must be careful because we don’t know which ones might be dangerous.

Safe adults (people you can trust)

• Your parents
• Your teachers
• Your grandparents
• Close family relatives you know well
• Police officers in uniform
• Security guards at your school (you know them)
• Firefighters in uniform
• Doctors and nurses (with parents present)
• Your friends’ parents (whom your parents know)

Remember: These adults should be known to your parents.

Adults to be careful with

Even if they seem nice, strangers who might try to trick you may:

• Offer you sweets, candy, toys, or money
• Ask you to help find a lost pet
• Say your parents sent them to get you
• Ask you to keep secrets
• Ask you to go somewhere with them
• Ask you to get in their car
• Tell you something bad happened to your parents
• Take photos of you
• Give you gifts
• Ask for your help with directions (adults should ask other adults, not children)

What strangers might say (tricks)

• “Your mummy is sick, come with me.”
• “I have puppies/kittens in my car, want to see?”
• “I’ll buy you ice cream.”
• “Your daddy sent me to pick you up.”
• “Come help me find my lost dog.”
• “I’ll give you money if you come with me.”
• “Your house is on fire, follow me.”
• “Don’t tell anyone, it’s our secret.”

All of these are tricks. Do not believe them.

What to do if a stranger approaches

Use the “NO, GO, TELL” rule:

1. NO: Say “NO!” loudly and firmly.
2. GO: Run away immediately to a safe place.
3. TELL: Tell a trusted adult right away.

More detailed actions:

• Don’t be polite to dangerous strangers. Your safety is more important.
• Scream if someone tries to grab you.
• Yell “THIS IS NOT MY PARENT!” very loudly.
• Run toward other people or into a busy place.
• Never go anywhere with a stranger, even if they say it is an emergency.
• Don’t take anything from strangers.
• Don’t answer their questions.
• Don’t help strangers. Children should never help adults with tasks, because adults should ask other adults.

If someone tries to take you:

• Scream as loud as you can.
• Fight and kick.
• Drop to the ground (it is harder to carry you).
• Grab onto something fixed.
• Shout “HELP! I DON’T KNOW THIS PERSON!”
• Make as much noise as possible.

3. Communication safety

Information you should never share with strangers

• Your full name
• Your address
• Your phone number
• Your parents’ names
• Where you go to school
• Where your parents work
• If you are home alone
• Your family’s schedule
• Your parents’ phone numbers
• Where you are going
• That you are lost or alone

Phone safety

• Do not answer the phone if your parents are not at home, or tell the caller that an adult will call back.
• Never give information to unknown callers.
• Don’t tell callers you are alone.
• Say “My parent can’t come to the phone right now.”

4. Internet and device safety (if applicable)

Even young children should know these rules:

• Never share photos online without parent permission.
• Never talk to strangers online.
• Tell your parents if someone online makes you uncomfortable.
• Don’t share personal information online.
• Use devices where your parents can see.

5. Personal belongings security

At school

• Keep your bag with you or in your locker.
• Don’t bring valuable items.
• Mark your belongings with your name.
• Report if something is missing.
• Don’t show off money or valuables.

In public

• Keep your belongings close.
• Don’t put your bag down and forget it.
• Hold your parent’s hand and keep track of your things.

6. Emotional security

Know your feelings

• Your feelings are important.
• If something makes you uncomfortable, that feeling is telling you something is wrong.
• Trust your instincts.

Secrets

Good secrets (okay to keep):

• Surprise birthday parties
• Surprise gifts
• Fun surprises that make people happy
• These secrets are told with a time limit (“Don’t tell until tomorrow”).

Bad secrets (never keep):

• Someone touching you inappropriately
• Someone hurting you
• Someone threatening you
• Someone asking you to do something wrong
• Someone saying “Don’t tell your parents”
• Anything that makes you feel scared or uncomfortable

Rule: If someone says “Don’t tell your parents,” definitely tell your parents.

7. Group safety

• Stay with your group during school trips.
• Use the buddy system.
• Know who your teacher is.
• Know where to meet if you are separated.
• Don’t wander off alone.

8. Identifying safe places

Places you can go for help

• Police station
• Fire station
• Hospital
• Your school
• Busy shops (ask staff)
• Places with security guards

Safe people in public

• Police officers
• Security guards in uniform
• Store employees (they wear name tags)
• Other parents with children
• Teachers

9. Being assertive (standing up for yourself)

You have the right to:

• Say NO to anyone who makes you uncomfortable.
• Say NO to anyone who wants to touch you inappropriately.
• Refuse gifts from strangers.
• Walk away from uncomfortable situations.
• Tell trusted adults about problems.
• Be safe and protected.

How to be assertive

• Use a strong, firm voice.
• Make eye contact.
• Stand tall.
• Say clearly what you want: “NO, I don’t want to” or “STOP, leave me alone.”
• Don’t worry about being rude when your safety is at risk.

Remember

• Politeness is important, but safety is more important.
• It is okay to be “rude” to someone who is trying to harm you.
• Grown-ups should not ask children to keep secrets from parents.

10. What to do if you are lost

Prevention

• Always stay close to your parents in public.
• Know what your parents are wearing.
• Have your parents’ phone numbers memorised.
• Know your full name and address.

If you get lost

• Stop: Don’t wander around.
• Stay where you are (your parents will come back to find you).
• Look for a safe person (police, security guard, shop worker with a name tag, another parent with children).
• Don’t leave with anyone except your parents or the police.
• Don’t go looking for your parents. Let them find you.

Personal security checklist

• ✓ I know my full name.
• ✓ I know my parents’ names.
• ✓ I know my address.
• ✓ I know my parents’ phone numbers.
• ✓ I know not to talk to strangers.
• ✓ I know good touch from bad touch.
• ✓ I know to tell trusted adults if something is wrong.
• ✓ I know it is okay to say NO.
• ✓ I know not to keep bad secrets.
• ✓ I know where to go for help.

What are the important messages to remember?

1. You are not to blame: If something bad happens, it is not your fault.
2. Tell someone: Always tell a trusted adult about uncomfortable situations.
3. Keep telling: If the first adult doesn’t help, tell another until someone helps.
4. Trust your feelings: If something feels wrong, it probably is.
5. Your body is yours: No one has the right to touch you inappropriately.

Class activity

• Role play scenarios.
• Practise saying NO firmly.
• Identify safe adults.
• Discuss different situations.

Evaluation

Choose the correct answer.

1. Personal security means protecting _____
   • a) your toys only
   • b) yourself
   • c) strangers
2. A stranger is someone _____
   • a) you know very well
   • b) you don’t know
   • c) in your family
3. If a stranger offers you sweets, you should _____
   • a) take them
   • b) say NO and walk away
   • c) ask for more
4. Your body belongs to _____
   • a) anyone
   • b) strangers
   • c) only you
5. If someone makes you feel uncomfortable, you should _____
   • a) keep it secret
   • b) tell a trusted adult immediately
   • c) ignore it
6. Bad secrets are secrets that _____
   • a) make you feel scared
   • b) are about birthday surprises
   • c) are fun
7. If you get lost, you should _____
   • a) run around looking
   • b) stay where you are
   • c) follow anyone

Answers: 1-b, 2-b, 3-b, 4-c, 5-b, 6-a, 7-b

Assignment

1. Tell your parents three personal security measures you learned.
2. Practise saying “NO” firmly with your parents.
3. With your parents’ help, write down your full name, address, and parents’ phone numbers. Memorise them.
4. Tell your parents one situation that would make you uncomfortable and what you would do.