Safeguarding schools: Third phase of NDMA’s pilot programme under way

Teachers would develop safety plans, assess standards

ISLAMABAD: As the country marks the second anniversary of the attack on the Army Public School in Peshawar, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said that it was moving forward to the final phase of its pilot programme which would ensure safety of schools.

The Pakistan school safety framework programme aims to improve the state of security in schools all over the country in order to effectively prepare against natural or man-made hazards.

A total of 68 schools were selected, including both public and private schools, with mutual consultation of education departments and secretariats of the Private School Systems.

The NDMA, in collaboration with UNICEF and British Council, has already completed the first phase of programme in which 30 master-trainers were trained in Lahore. In the second phase, 209 teachers from each of the nominated 68 schools were trained by these trainers and equipped with thorough knowledge and practical exercises pertaining to school safety.

In the third phase of the pilot programme, trained teachers will further develop respective school safety plans, undertake the self-assessment of the school safety standards in accordance with the framework and also prepare school community for response against disasters in respective schools. This phase is currently in progress and is expected to be completed by January 2017.

The evaluation on the implementation of the plan will be monitored by a team of evaluators along with NDMA representatives in February 2017.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 16^th, 2016.