How Delhi govt students learn to create a safety net to fend off disasters

Warding off a natural disaster might not be in our hands but working together in times of distress can play an important role in keeping one prepared to face the challenges. That’s precisely what the children of 50 government-run schools in East Delhi, which falls in a high-risk zone of earthquakes and floods, are being taught to do. 

The schools have been chosen based on vulnerability factors identified through the National University of Educational Planning and Administration (NUEPA) and preliminary ground verification. “We regularly conduct interactive sessions with our children on disaster and risk management. However, tips from experts help kids remember them better,” said Chhaya Garg, principal of EDMC primary school, North A Block, Krishna Nagar. 

Located in the Yamuna flood plains, this region, thanks to unplanned construction comprising of densely built-up areas, and has very few buffer zones. Thus, through regular counselling and drills, the children are groomed to identify any signs of impending danger, take prompt action and alleviate risks.

Under the Safe Schools Programme, funded by Honeywell Hometown Solutions India Foundation and executed by NGO Seeds, disaster management experts, along with architects and engineers, first conduct a structural assessment of every school under the guidance of the National Disaster Management Authority and the education department. Structural assessment includes ‘rapid visual survey’ and ‘detailed measured drawings’ to identify potential risks.

Then, they study the risk perception among students, teachers and guardians to understand their preparedness for any kind of disaster. Accordingly, they devise a roadmap and work closely with pupils, schools, civic agencies to train them in risk aversion and also in negotiating hazards in case of building collapses. 

“We make children more responsive by creating awareness through regular chat sessions. Whenever there is news of an accident, earthquake or flood, we ask students how will they react in such a situation. The idea is to prepare them for any kind of eventuality,” says Garg.

Later, students are trained to perform specific functions. They are divided into different groups — warning and awareness task force, evacuation task force, search and rescue task force, first aid task force, and fire safety task force.

These risk management experts use education and communication material and rope in individuals that kids can easily relate to, like family members and neighbours (who are defined as first responders). Students are taught to analyse their immediate surroundings and take concrete action towards reducing risks as and when situation demands. The project also lays special emphasis on capacity building of teachers and school administration to ensure that the buildings are safe.

The programme has already reached out to 31,061 children, 1,319 parents and 1,646 teachers and aims to make 25,000 children, 1,000 teachers and 40,000 parents ready to deal with any kind of disasters, by 2020.

“The students are excited and show keen interest to learn about their safety,” said Sandhya Singh, principal of Government Girls Secondary School, Mayur Vihar Phase III.

The experts interact with members of the disaster management committee in every school to develop a disaster management plan, which touches upon school-specific hazards, vulnerabilities and resources. The plan is expected to be revised at least once a year by the committee.

Disaster management analysts are helping school administrations do their job better in this regard, feels Poornima Kaushik, principal of EDMC Primary School in Sashi Garden. “Though school inspectors conduct regular investigations, these experts highlight new points, which we might have skipped. Also, their interactive sessions with teachers help them understand every pupil better. Soon, they will conduct drills with our students,” she said. “They also communicate about day-to-day issues such as road safety, hygiene and self-protection,” Kaushik adds. 

Safety kits are being distributed and signage installed on school premises. School kitchens will also be redesigned, if needed, to minimise the risk of fire. The initiative is dedicated to instill a culture of safety among children right from their schools. 

“A conducive learning space is as important as curriculum, and a child learns better when they feel safe. The programme should be conducted in more schools,” says Garg. Small intervention such as identifying and mitigating the dark corners where a child feels unsafe has a tremendous role in improving learning spaces, she adds.

A similar programme has been initiated in Uttarakhand.