SE14: Disaster Risk Reduction in the Education Sector

  • ID: SE14
  • Date & Time: Wednesday 17 June (08:00 - 09:30)
  • Room: 18
  • Participation: Open
  • Organizer: ADPC, Thematic Platform on Knowledge and Education, Asian Education Task Force, International Institute for Earthquake Studies
  • Facilitators: Co Chairs:

    • Dr. Bhichit Rattakul; Executive Director, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center
    • Member of the UN Thematic Platform on Knowledge and Education
  • Focal Point: ajrego (at) adpc.net, b.rouhban (at) unesco.org, aspalton (at) unicef.org, rosec (at) un.org

Description

The increasing number of sudden on-set large scale disasters over the past few years and their impact on the children have led to the understanding that it is essential to link Disaster Disk Reduction (DRR) with the broader agenda of ‘Education for All’. This is essential for advancing the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and more importantly in achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDG).

Numerous examples across the globe have shown that children are more vulnerable to disasters. But at the same time they can be influential and effective communicators about disasters. Often, lessons learnt at school are later passed on at the home to the parents and eventually to the community. In fact there are many documented occasions when the safety of a family, or the protection of an important element of the household, has been traced back to a “safety lesson” learned at school. Hence, introducing disaster awareness and risk reduction education in the school curriculum is essential to foster better understanding amongst the children and the teachers about the immediate environment in which they and their families live and help reduce the risk faced by the community.

At the same time, schools are institutions of knowledge and education. But this role is constantly threatened with the onslaught of disasters. School buildings are one of the major infrastructures that normally collapse during disasters, causing the death of hundreds of students and teachers. In many countries too, schools usually act as the community space as well as refuge during emergencies. Thus making each school building resilient from natural hazards becomes essential.

Thus this special event is aimed at bringing together the various partners working at local, national, regional and global level on linking DRR and Education, to share their experiences on how the pedagogical, structural and functional aspects of an education system can play a vital role in reducing risk from natural hazards.

The event would be structured around two themes namely integrating DRR in school curriculum and making schools safer. Each of the themes would include sharing of experiences on various partners on approaches adopted for making the Education system safe from disasters, what worked well and what did not. The session would particularly highlight the importance of partnership between the National Agencies for Education and Disaster Risk Reduction and the various stakeholders.


Expected Outcomes

Sharing of experiences among countries and partners working at local, national, regional and global level on lessons learned from integrating DRR concerns in the Education System.


Background Papers

> Disaster Risk Reduction in the Education Sector [PDF, 31.17 Kb]


Presentations

> Risk Communication and Experiencing Learning for DRR: Initiatives of Kyoto University [PDF, 2.33 Mb]

> School Disaster Safety in Sri Lanka [PPT, 788.50 Kb]

> Earthquake Preparedness Initiatives for School Safety in Major Cities of Bangladesh [PPT, 1.90 Mb]

> Safe schools experience of SEEDS in India [PPT, 1.40 Mb]

> UNCRD project School Earthquake Safety Initiative (SESI) in Asia and the Pacific [PPT, 1.30 Mb]

> Disaster Risk Reduction in Education Sector: Lessons Learned. 15 years experience of ADPC in Asia [PPT, 1.47 Mb]

> Disaster risk reduction through schools [PPT, 1.73 Mb]

> Risk Communication and Experiencing Learning for DRR: Initiatives of Kyoto University [PPT, 8.64 Mb]

> Regional Task Force on DRR and Education of Asia and the Pacific [PPT, 978.50 Kb]


Outcomes

Note: this is an interim report pending publication of the Conference Proceedings from the 2009 Global Platform.

> Report from SE14 [PDF, 41.19 Kb]

Related Links

> Compilation of National Progress Reports on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action: HFA Priority 4, core indicator 4.2

> Compilation of National Progress Reports on the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action: HFA Priority 3, core indicator 3.2


Last updated: 04 December 2020