Integration of Emergency Risk Management into India’s Education system

17th November 2011Naghma Firdaus

Nagpur

Emergency Risk Management…. What do we understand by the term emergency risk

management What are its salient features /components Who is responsible Why does it play an important role in disaster

management?

“Emergency risk management (ERM) is a process which involves dealing with risks to the community arising from emergency events. It is a systematic method for identifying, analysing, evaluating and treating emergency risks. Risk treatments include prevention and preparedness as well as provision for response and recovery should an emergency event occur”

Example to reflect

What perhaps could demonstrate some of the aspects of emergency risk management…..

CEMEx 2011 (Video)

Objectives of the Emergency Risk Management Exercise Mass sensitization and public awareness on

Urban Emergency Management Services (U-EMS)

Capacity enhancement of different stakeholders involved in emergency management and response

Test interagency communication, coordination and interoperability.

Assess and recommend areas for reinforcement and improvement.

Perspective plan (long term) for U-EMS in the city

Therefore Emergency Risk Management …. Appropriate Capacity Building of different

stakeholders ( in terms of awareness, knowledge building and acquisition of skills

Strengthen Interagency Coordination Communication

Strengthen Contingency Planning at different levels

Plan, prepare and rehearse to face any emergencyCreation of Community Risk Resilience – The Core – It is collective responsibility

Some facts and figures as well as opinions with reference to the state of affairs in terms of safety and risk status of Our schools and academic institutions…..

971 students and 31 teachers died in the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake

1,884 school buildings collapsed, loss of 5,950 classrooms

11,761 school buildings suffered major to minor damages, additional 36,584 rooms unfit for holding instruction sessions

Kumbakonam school fire

On the 23rd Dec 96 425 people died in Dabwali, Haryana.

The Kumbakonam fire tragedy took life of 93 children

Some global figures

1993: Long Beach Earthquake USA 70 schools destroyed120 damaged41 rendered unsafe

• 2003: Iran EarthquakeSchool collapsed; 110 children

killed

Some global figures

2005: J&K Earthquake >8000 schools destroyed / damaged > 17,000 school children killed > 850 teachers killed >20,000 suffered injuries

2008: China Earthquake >7000 schools destroyed >10,000 students killed >1,000 teachers killed

2008: Cyclone Nargis >3000 schools destroyed in Myanmar >100 teachers killed

Success Stories… Teaching DR related subjects is mandated in

Mexico, New Zealand and Romania Brazil and Venezuela undertake intensive training

on DR at schools at the municipal and state levels

For Eg: After 1999 Earthquake, Turkey undertook massive training on DR for school teachers. BY 2002, 3000 teachers were trained as master trainers and certified in 32 districts.

They in turn taught 34000 teachers, 6000 personnel and 350,000 students. In the process mode, 836,000 students were empowered. Extension of the training in three other provinces, it reached to 1.5 million students

State of affairs at the Higher educational institutions in India

It took the terror attack at German Bakery, just a few miles from its gates, for authorities at the 62-year Pune University to wake up to the dangers of terror attacks. And, to the vulnerability of its students and faculty. Following the March 2010 blast, CCTV cameras have now been installed across the campus and armed guards patrol key locations within the university—both during the day and after dusk

It also took a tragedy, this time a devastating fire in its chemistry lab, for Asia’s oldest college, the 193-year-old Presidency College in Kolkata (now rechristened Presidency University) to realise how defenceless they were when faced with natural or man-made disasters.

Emergency Risk management and the Young populace in India

The role of schools and educational institutions in the community is very important and it would be befitting to call them as cradles of

the society Children and Young people who are taught about disaster

management are assets to the community at large. They play an important part in saving lives and in protecting the

members of the communities Making DRR a part of the curriculum of primary and secondary

curricula fosters awareness and better understanding about the immediate environment in which children and their families live..

Children are a dynamic and powerful force of change and are supporters in creating awareness in the community.

They can contribute in a unique manner with energy and vision to find local solutions.

School children should be encouraged to take up tasks which make them realise their importance as necessary stakeholders in the change process.

Disaster awareness education in educational institutions -Advantages

It provides contemporary and relevant information about local environment.

It prepares for participation in both pre and post disaster activities of the affected/vulnerable community on a wider scale.

It contributes past experience with recent developments in technology to combat disaster

It helps to develop effective domain abilities for collective work as successful disaster management efforts involve an effective teamwork and spirit.

It promotes informed decision-making in the event of a disaster.

India – the Land of Challenges and opportunities India’s Developmental milestones India’s Developmental Challenges India’s education system milestones India’s education system challenges Risk resilience and emergency

preparedness in India Paradigm shift from a relief centric

mode to a proactive mode…………………….

From a policy perspective…..

Tenth and Eleventh Five Year Plan document, have emphasized the need to enhance knowledge, skill and values to reduce the impact of disasters on the education sector.

National policy on Education also gives the thrust on safe and secure environment of educational institutions, not only for students but the neighborhood community must feel the belongingness with these institutions

Educational Institutions can contribute towards generation of knowledge in the area of disasters, develop expertise in specific types of disaster and impart training in different fields

National DM policy highlights the need and importance Various academic boards of relevance have highlighted the same -----There is thought ------There is willingness ---------There is realization

From a implementation perspective We hear there are issues with

implementation There are issues with resource

allocation and resource development There are issues with monitoring,

follow up and sustainability

Reality Check…………

CBSE curriculum – VIII, IX, X, XI State education Boards- Tamil Nadu -

curriculum, Orissa – Risk safety, Maharashtra, Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar- through SSA, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand

Non- formal Education – NCC, NSS, NYKS being trained Tamil nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra , Uttaranchal, Assam, Kerala , Tripura

Training of Teachers – NCERT – resource book for training teachers on DM

Karnataka – SCERT is very active Delhi, West Bengal, Maharshtra,

Gurarat, kerala , HP North East Regional Institution of

Education – seven eastern sisters

GOI – UNDP DRM Programme with the component on school safety

UNESCO’s involvement at the policy and advocacy level UNICEF – grass root level support and demonstration of

technical support/competancies Action Aid – DRR in schools in Assam and AP-pioneered the

concept of Hazard safety Cadet Corps in schools ADRA – Work in Bihar Aide et Action – nagapattinum AIDMI – 350 schools, 18000 school children, , teachers ,

administrators, in Bihar, Gujarat, J&K rajasthan , TN Plan India CARITAS – Assam and Tripura SEEDs India – more than 600 Save the children – CLDRR

Higher Educational Institutions IGNOU – Certificate and PG Programs Mahatma Gandhi University – MSc in DM University of Pune – 6 month certificate course The Indian Institute of Ecology and Environment, New Delhi The PRT Institute of Postgraduate Environmental Education

and Research National Civil Defense College and National Fire

Engineering College – skill base training TISS – Doctoral and PG Programmes IITs and IIMs and some medical colleges – Guru Gobind Singh Indra Prastha University – MBA (DM) MSU Baroda – Certificate course University of Mumbai Times Centre for DM- certificate

courses

Gaps…….. Primary and Secondary Education - Teaching about hazards is

not enough to promote risk awareness or action on the part of children and youth. Academic earth and climate science is good, but should be taught as part of a comprehensive package with disaster prevention and preparedness (skill based)

Tertiary education – practical Insight , Hands on approach – lacking (issues with curriculum, methodology, scientific and practical temper as well as linkage with employment opportunities)

Protecting educational infrastructure - The excellent research and pilot projects focusing on school seismic risk have not been thoroughly evaluated, consolidated, or made available in a form that that can be rapidly adopted on a larger scale.

Community based risk resilience- lack of ownership and lack of integration of local indigenous knowledge

Media, communication and risk awareness – This medium needs to be appropriately utilised

Scientific knowledge and research- The main gap regarding scientific knowledge and research involves how to put a vast amount of existing knowledge to work in the real world under messy, marginally controlled conditions

Work in isolation – not much sharing and learning from good practices and lessons learned

Lack of appropriately trained cadre of DM Issues with quality control and quality assurance Lack of integrated and dove tailed efforts

Recommendations From a policy perspective – requirement of national road

map – which is structured and outcome based with clearly defined roles and responsibilities viz a viz stakeholders (with factors of accountability, and quality check and control imbedded) – in addition to recommendations, guidelines and guidance notes, there is a need to have specific policy on safe education.

From a implementation perspective - The effort needs integration with the administrative machinery and governance process to be sustainable and impactful (NSSP) – (Ministry of HRD)

Capacities and capabilities of DM Training institutions to be augmented

Curriculum, methodology to be revisited and appropriately addressed for improvisations

There should be constant sharing of good practices and lessons learnt by agencies involved in strengthening this sector

Both structural as well as non – structural mitigation measures must be addressed.

There needs to be standardization, quality assurance and evaluation of efforts made at the primary, secondary and tertiary education levels.

The training and education material as well as content needs to be practical oriented and user friendly.

There needs to be integration of efforts made by various agencies with the government efforts

Media needs to be involved and deployed for various purposes.

Private sector engagement - vital

The NSSP DP – The ScopeProject period

2 years (September 2011 – August 2013)

Geographical spread

22 States & UTs (EQ Zone IV & V)

Location 2 districts / States (43 districts & UTs)

Scope 200 schools/ district (8600 schools)

National School Safety Programme - Demonstration ProjectDetailed Project Report

Picture: Realvpm.org

The NSSP DP Components Budget (crores

)A Formulation of Draft National School Safety Policy 0.32B Capacity Building (200 schools in two districts each

in 22 States)14.86

C Information, Education and Communication activities to make the school children, parents,  teachers, school administrators and larger community aware of school safety and disaster risk reduction mechanisms (Covering all districts of 22 States falling in Zone IV and V).

8.05

D Non-structural Measures 15.58

E Demonstrative Retrofitting of one school each in 22 States

6.60

F Project Management and Implementation Support 3.06

National School Safety Programme - Demonstration ProjectDetailed Project Report

Thank you