Safe School Safe School InitiativeInitiative

Plan Nepal, Kathmandu

Rationale & Background of Rationale & Background of Safe SchoolSafe School

• School safety has been given a major focus by the United Nations International Strategy on Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) when the 2006-2007 World Disaster Reduction Campaign was devoted to the theme “Disaster Reduction Begins at School”.

• This theme was chosen by UN/ISDR because (a) it is in line with the Priority 3 of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015: “Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels, and (b) schools are the best venues for forging durable collective values; therefore they are suitable for building a culture of prevention and disaster resilience.

The Asia Pacific Regional Workshop on School Education and Disaster Risk Reduction held on 8-10 October 2007 in Bangkok came

out with a ‘Bangkok Action Agenda’ ‘Bangkok Action Agenda’ addressing all stakeholders, on the following priority areas for action:

(i) Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction into School Education; (ii) Strengthening Disaster Risk Reduction Education for Community Resilience; (iii) Making Schools Safer; and (iv) Empowering Children for Disaster Risk Reduction.

What are the five HFA Priorities for Action

(PFA)?• Adopting a child-focused perspective in HFA:Adopting a child-focused perspective in HFA:1. Governance• Ensure that disaster risk reduction is a national and a local priority with

a strong institutional basis for implementation promoting and supporting children’s rights

2. Risk Assessment, Monitoring and Warning• Involve children and young people to identify, assess and

monitor disaster risks and enhance early warning

3. Knowledge and Education• Use knowledge, innovation and education to build a culture of safety

and resilience at all levels, because children are our future

What are the five HFA Priorities for Action (PFA)? …

4. Underlying risk factors• Involve children and young people to reduce

the underlying risk factors5. Preparedness and Response• Strengthen disaster preparedness for effective

response at all levels, particularly at the community level, concentrating on the wellbeing of children and young people

Safe schoolSafe school

• A safe school is either a school that is located in a hazard-free area or one that has been constructed so as to withstand the hazards to which it is exposed to disaster

• A safe school should not collapse or save from other forms of damages if a disaster happens but even if it does, the concerned SMC and PTA will be able to cope with the impacts of the collapse

• Disaster increases children’s injury and death toll

• School buildings are used as shelters during emergencies

• Disaster causes high dropout and impact the quality of education

• Disaster blocks basic rights of children • Children are the best communicators about

disaster • A key agenda of international agencies

Rationale behind safe school Rationale behind safe school campaigns campaigns

Safe school Pillars

• Pillar 1: Safe School Facilities involves safe site selection, design, construction and maintenance and includes safe and continuous access to the facility

• Pillar 2: School Disaster Management covers disaster management to maintain safe learning environments and plan for educational continuity and should conform to international standards

• Pillar 3: Risk Reduction Education involves integrating DRR/climate change adaptation (CCA) into formal education curricula and teachers’ training syllabi to develop a culture of safety and resilient communities

 Pillar 1: Safe School Facilities 1. Safe site selection 2. Structural and non-structural assessment • Structural assessment • Non-structural assessment

Key Components of Safe School Pillar

Key components of Safe School Pillar

Pillar 2: School Disaster Management1. Form an inclusive school disaster

management committee 2. Hazard, vulnerability, risk and capacity

assessment 3. Form different task forces 4. Prepare school disaster management plans 5. Develop communication channels 6. Run school-based disaster drills for awareness

building

Pillar 3: Risk Reduction Education1.Integrate DRR and CCA into formal and non-formal education 2.Incorporate DRR and CCA in teachers’ training curricula 3.Develop the capacity of stakeholders 4.Develop educational materials which address DRR and CCA issues 5.Ensure right to education 6.Remove likely challenges to and constraints on safe school campaigns

1. To promote a culture of school safety in the project target countries by advocating policies, regulations, and guidelines at all decision-making levels.

2. To embed the participation of children in the local and national process of establishing safe school model in the target countries.

3. To strengthen the roles of civil society organizations to lead in developing and monitoring disaster risk reduction and preparedness measure in schools through capacity building and networking both in country and regionally.

Safe School guidelines/policies

Children Participation

Children Participation

Strengthen the roles of governments and

CSOs

Strengthen the roles of governments and

CSOs

Goal of Plan’s Safe School Initiative

The safe school programme encourages every child, every individual, every family, every community, every organization, government, or any other entity to make a pledge and take actions to make schools safer now to survive disasters.

Safe School Programme

• Raising awareness of disaster related issues among the targeted stakeholders (students, teachers, school management, guardians and others) through various methods of lectures, discussions, posters, drama (street play) and demonstration;

The main objective of the safe school initiatives is Risk Reduction. This will include mitigation and preparedness activities and preparing a disaster management plan for the school to respond the event effectively.

Facilitate to the teachers, SMC and student representatives on: •Identifying and listing hazards and vulnerabilities outside the school;•Identifying structural and non-structural vulnerabilities inside the school;•Identifying and listing ways of reducing vulnerabilities;•Identifying the roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders;

Training teachers on how to prepare a school evacuation plan, building emergency response capacity, focusing on skills such as search and rescue, fire safety, and first aid (training provided to student groups); and Preparing Disaster Management Plan for the school;

"Learn, Reflect, Empower" formula for education for sustainability, stating, "Education "Learn, Reflect, Empower" formula for education for sustainability, stating, "Education must also inspire the faith that each of us has both the power and the responsibility to must also inspire the faith that each of us has both the power and the responsibility to

effect positive change on a global scale". This approach seems to be the best for effect positive change on a global scale". This approach seems to be the best for providing risk education to the children.providing risk education to the children.

To Learn: To Learn: Students deepen their awareness about hazards and risks when they understand realities and know facts. Recent natural disasters are well documented and shared. These serve as case studies for teachers as well as students. Wherever needed, disasters are simulated with the help of portable models. The learning process is strengthened by curriculum change

To ReflectTo Reflect: :

Students analyze factors leading to

human casualties and injuries, disabilities,

psychosocial trauma in disasters, so that they

can recognize development practices and human actions that can cause disasters or

prevent them. Students connect to their own

local communities and families and share their

learning with them.

To EmpowerTo Empower: Students take

concrete action toward reducing risks in their environment. Classroom and school

exercises are introduced to help

them take small definitive actions that

can become a precursor to bigger

investments for disaster risk

reduction. School management prepares

schooldisaster management

plans which identify roles and

responsibilities and which are rehearsed

periodically.In this approach, school students, teachers and management develop disaster management In this approach, school students, teachers and management develop disaster management plans for theirplans for theirschools. In the process, they come to know existing structural and non-structural weaknesses. schools. In the process, they come to know existing structural and non-structural weaknesses. Efforts are madeEfforts are madeto ensure that the school community takes ownership of the plan and make the necessary to ensure that the school community takes ownership of the plan and make the necessary updates in the future.updates in the future.It is to be noted that involving teachers is essential for the success of any activity with It is to be noted that involving teachers is essential for the success of any activity with students.students.

Plan believes that Disaster Education and training accentuate and encourage the culture of individual safety as the best safety measures; School administrators, staff, teachers and students should be prepared in case of emergencies and disasters due to natural hazards (e.g. earthquakes, floods, landslides, etc.) and manmade hazards (e.g. fire, road accidents, stampede) to protect themselves from personal injury and loss of life and protect the school property from damage.

• Schools in Plan area are physically and structurally safer in high-risk disaster areas.

• Communities are organized around schools for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness and vulnerability reduction.

• An effective methodology is developed that introduces disaster awareness and promotes action for disaster risk reduction in local education (with children, staff, DMC, SMC, PTAs etc.)

Expected Results:

Create a /strengthen existing/ school emergency and disaster preparedness committee (Teaching and Non-teaching staff, children),

Training teachers and school administrators in school safety and other essential skills to promote physical and emotional well-being

Building disaster prevention/risk reduction into systems through risk analysis and creating school preparedness and evacuation plans (non-structural),

Designate the responsibilities of stakeholders and develop monitoring framework

Conduct emergency drills and exercises (mock-drills/ preparedness exercises),

Demonstrate replicable models by creating structurally(retro fittings) safe schools, and

Advocating for hazard resilient school construction and retrofitting policies and pedagogical changes at appropriate governmental levels.

Safe School programme undertakes the Safe School programme undertakes the following: following:

Objectives of the Safe School Initiatives

This initiatives has run to achieve following specific objectives:

• A safe school model is established, promoted and implemented in the projected area by advocating policies, regulations and guidelines at all decision making levels.

• The participation of children in the local and national process of establishing safe school model in the target communities is enhanced

• Ministry/Department of Education, local related authorities and civil society organizations develop, implement, monitor and evaluates DRR measures at school.

• Advocate for enabling education policy, while incorporating DRR & "Safe School" standards.

17 indicators for Safe School

1. All natural hazards posing a threat to schools have been identified.

2. Risks are reassessed regularly. 3. The school population and the

local community are aware of the risks.

A. Hazards and risks knowledge

4. School buildings were designed to meet building code standards. 5. Building code provides guidance on hazard resilient design;

The site was assessed before the school was built. 6. The vulnerability of existing school buildings has been assessed

with respect to local hazards. 7. Performance objectives (maximum level of damage or disruption

that can be tolerated in the presence of a hazard of a certain magnitude and frequency) were determined; The school construction (or retrofitting) was supervised by a qualified engineer.

8. The school was built (or retrofitted) to meet performance objectives.

9. School furnishings and equipment were designed and installed to minimize potential harm they might cause to school occupants.

B. Structural and non structural B. Structural and non structural safety safety

10.Somebody has the responsibility for managing the school maintenance program.

11.Mechanisms are in place to ensure that school maintenance is financed and executed.

12.A backup plan exists to ensure that school operations continue in case natural hazards create disruptions in the school calendar.

13.A safe location was identified in case the school must be evacuated.

14.Students, teachers, staff, and school administrators know what to do before, during, and after a hazard event

15.School drills are held regularly to practice and improve skills and plans.

16.A disaster management committee exists at school or in the local community.

D. Curricula 17. Disaster-risk reduction is taught as part of the regular school

curricula.

C. Systems, procedures and skills

SSA

Teachers’ Qualification &

AttitudeActive Learning Methods, Accompanied by Appropriate Learning/Teaching Aids

Active Participation of Children & Parents in School Governance

Safe, Sound, & Effective Learning Environment

Relevant curriculum

Empowered & Supportive School Leadership

Acceptable Level of Government Budget Allocation/Strong Supervisory support

Student preparedness

Safe School Approach (SSA) Octagon

[ECD,BLOP,LWF,EiE]

Community, Parents, Children

Participation&

Collaboration

CCDRR - CCDRMCCDRR - CCDRM

SSA and CCDRMSSA and CCDRM

SSA[ECD,BLOP,LWF,EiE]

Community, Parents, ChildrenParticipation

&Collaboration

Understand hazards, vulnerability and capacity of the

children and Community. DRR conscious.

Involve children in SAPIME on disaster vulnerability, risks & capacities analysis in learning

centers

Learning centers should adhere to safety standards including the facilities, equipments, technologies and practices in the schools

Interactive teaching methodology, skills-based education, learning materials on natural and human- induced hazards

Emergency-related drills regularly conducted in learning centers (e.g. fire drills, earthquake drills, flood, disease outbreak preparation)

Disaster risk management plan integrated in the school integrated plan before, during and after disasters

Learning centers able to access calamity funds from LGUs and allocate calamity funds from the funds of the learning centers.

Values in integrating DRR in all aspect of the subjects and activities in the schools bearing in mind that DRR is a major component in the school development plan.

Coverage of Safe School in Plan Nepal

• All 6 Programme District: • Morang, Sunsari, • Sindhuli, Rautahat, Makwanpur• Banke & Bardia

• CCDRM in Schools 128• Safe School 30, SBDPP 40• Students 2,395• Teachers / RPs 125• Parents 1132• Officials 140• NGO/CSOs 448

• Mapping of Safe School Policy and

Practices

• Safe School Tool Kit for Schools and practicetioners

Safe School Budget:NORAD Project USD 200,000 2 year Plan Int. Program USD 75,000 Annual

Safe School Initiatives Since 2011

Thank you !Thank you !Suggestions Suggestions

Welcome!Welcome!