Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in Education-Lessons Learned Assessment following the Nepal floods in August 2017

Background and objectives

The main purpose of the review was 1) to assess and document results of Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) in education activities, including any positive or negative unintended effects in flood-affected districts where Save the Children Nepal has been working, and 2) to make recommendations to Save the Children to improve future programming in Nepal, as well as the development of our common approach to Comprehensive School Safety.

Methodology

The methodology was purely qualitative and highly participatory. The review team interviewed children, teachers, government officials, district administrators and newly formed Gaun and Nagar palika members and bureaucrats. In total, the team visited 8 schools.

Key Lessons Learned

1.  DRR and emergency preparedness, when complimented with regular education, it brings in lot of energy into school environment and children learn about life saving skills and premises become risk free zones. Similarly, when teachers are trained, the skill remains with school for long time, only the interest of teacher matter to continue it.
2. Changes in policy and practices needs to be backed by strong commitment for implementation with proper support of technical know-how and financial backup for School Improvement Plans. 
3. Trainings are good examples of initiatives with no support required from outside agencies as the government should be able to continue their own with minimal support.
4. Preparedness is a low priority in low income groups, due to enormous support inflows during emergencies. Both administration and communities are happy receiving relief than working on preparedness, which needs more investments, time and resource. Currently there is no funding available from the centre towards disaster preparedness.
5. Fast track projects like the European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department’s Disaster Preparedness Programme (DIPECHO) lacks proper backup plan to be handed over with regular education and DRR programs to follow-up and continue the activities for the sustainability aspects.
6. One-off teacher trainings on Disaster Management components remain as a theoretical knowledge base, but do not continue into action during emergency like floods. It needs a thorough review and regular refresher courses on compulsory lifesaving skill.

Recommendations

Below are some selected recommendations from the report;

Early warning: School early warning must be linked with community as priority, so that school as a unit should be safeguarded and properly utilised during the emergency. Also needs to involve and train the management and parent/teacher associations to establish protocols and systems for usage of schools in emergency and how children’s property like books, stationaries and in-house infrastructure to be saved from floods.

Teacher Trainings: The teacher training should be continued with teachers with participation of new federal structure members and continuous mechanism of refresher courses should be planned with National center for educational development and the resources center at regional level.

School based institutions: Activate and make functional the school-based institutions by strengthening the roles and responsibilities, decision making ability, proper selection of members who can contribute, and bring in resources to make the school safe. These institutions have large potential in DRR preparedness activities in schools and can safe guard infrastructure and bring in positive changes in schools.

Comparison of different schools: Norad schools are very good examples of DRR mainstreaming into education component in schools, The DRR program adds value to the education program and brings in synergy with other activities in schools. Similarly, Sponsorship schools under vulnerable pockets needs special DRR program inbuilt into program to reduce risk to students and safeguard investments. 

Comments from the organisation

Save the Children Norway has developed a management response and action plan based on the recommendations of the review.