From recovery to resilience: Helping schools in Viet Nam prepare for future disasters

When Typhoons Bualoi and Matmo swept through the remote mountainous provinces of Cao Bang and Lang Son in late 2025, they left a severe impact on schools and the communities around them.  

Heavy flooding damaged classrooms, destroyed textbooks and learning materials and limited road access, forcing many schools to close temporarily to protect students and staff. For children and youth, the closure of schools disrupted not only learning, but also the routines, relationships and sense of stability and security that schools provide. This, in turn, increased the pressure on families and teachers already dealing with the consequences of the disaster. 

Working with the Ministry of Education and Training, provincial education authorities, and local schools, UNESCO supported efforts to restore learning spaces, better understand the challenges facing communities that are home to significant ethnic minorities and strengthen schools’ capacity to prepare for and manage future risks. 

Restoring safe spaces for learning

For children returning after a disaster, a classroom is more than a physical space. It is where they reconnect with friends, rebuild confidence and begin to regain a sense of normalcy.

To support schools’ recovery, UNESCO and the Ministry’s Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators (DTEA) provided essential furniture, equipment and educational resources to eight primary and lower secondary schools. More than 1,600 students now have access to safer and more supportive learning environments where they can continue their education in the aftermath of the floods.

The experience showed that post-disaster recovery must focus not only on repairing infrastructure, but on restoring learning environments that support students’ wellbeing and sense of security.

Learning from experience

Effective disaster preparedness begins with understanding the specific challenges faced by schools and communities.

Through consultations with students, teachers, school leaders and local authorities, UNESCO and the Ministry’s Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators (DTEA) worked with experts to explore how disasters affect not only school facilities, but also learning, teaching, school management and the well-being of those who make education possible.

The assessment revealed that teachers often take on many roles during emergencies. They become counsellors, coordinators and trusted sources of reassurance for students, all while managing the impacts of the disaster on their own lives.

In remote Cao Bang, Ms. Đinh Hồng Huệ, a primary school teacher from the Tay ethnic minority community, lives in teacher accommodation that is vulnerable to heavy rain and storms. During severe weather, she worries not only about her students’ safety, but also about protecting herself and her colleagues.

"Every time there is a storm, we are very worried... afraid that the roof might collapse. I just prepare in advance and try to find a place to run if something happens." 

- Ms. Đinh Hồng HuệPrimary school teacher from the Tay ethnic minority community

Preparing schools for future challenges

The experience in Cao Bang and Lang Son reinforced an important lesson: resilience must be built before disaster strikes.

Drawing on the assessment findings, UNESCO and the Ministry’s Department of Teachers and Educational Administrators developed practical tools to help schools assess risks, prepare emergency plans, maintain learning continuity and support students' mental health and psychosocial well-being during crises. Designed for school leaders and teachers, the tools translate lessons from recent disasters into practical action that schools can apply before, during and after emergencies.

As climate-related hazards become more frequent, these efforts represent a shift from responding to disasters to preparing for them.

"Every disaster presents significant challenges. These realities demonstrate that disaster prevention, preparedness, response and recovery are not only immediate priorities but also long-term responsibilities to safeguard every child's right to education under all circumstances." 

- Nguyen Thanh TrungLang Son Department of Education and Training

By investing in preparedness today, schools can strengthen their ability to safeguard education and protect children’s right to learn, even when disaster strikes.