App launched to enhance schools' safety

NatCat Safe School will enable authorities to identify risks posed by natural hazards

ISLAMABAD:

The National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) in partnership with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training has launched the NatCat Safe School Application, a pioneering digital tool designed to enhance the safety and resilience of school infrastructures across Pakistan.

The application was jointly launched on Friday by NDRMF CEO Bilal Anwar and Federal Secretary of Education Mohyuddin Wani as part of the government's ongoing efforts to mitigate the impact of natural disasters on educational institutions.

The event was followed by the signing of a MoU between NDRMF and the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training to promote safe school culture in Pakistan.

The NatCat Safe School Application leverages data from stakeholders, including teachers, parents, and students, combined with risk and loss information from the NatCat Model. The application identifies vulnerabilities in schools and assesses risks posed by natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, and landslides. By gathering and analysing data on school buildings and their surroundings, the app enables authorities to develop and implement retrofitting plans that enhance the resilience of educational facilities.

The application also offers continuous monitoring of school infrastructure, evaluating the effectiveness of retrofitting measures, and providing real-time data to support disaster preparedness and response.

The NatCat Model, which has already catalogued over 134,281 schools, including madrassas and various school levels, ensures that the data collected can be efficiently used to enhance decision-making.

The NatCat Safe School Application has two distinct interfaces, Mobile Application Interface, designed for on-the-go reporting and data submission by users and Expert View Interface which allows education authorities to evaluate disaster scenarios, providing simulations through NatCat data, and offering actionable insights for disaster mitigation.

Through automated reports, decision-makers can prioritise actions and allocate resources efficiently. The NatCat Safe School Application offers specific recommendations for retrofitting based on identified vulnerabilities, enabling targeted improvements in school infrastructure to protect lives and assets.

The application's database, currently containing information on over 134,000 schools, can scale further, making it adaptable across various regions. As it incorporates new data and evolving risk profiles, the NatCat Safe School Application ensures continuous relevance and effectiveness.

Officials said this launch is a milestone in Pakistan's efforts to build disaster resilience, ensuring the safety of schoolchildren and minimising disruption to education in the face of increasing climate-induced and geo-physical hazards.

The National Disaster Risk Management Fund (NDRMF) was established by the Government of Pakistan in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to increase the country's resilience to natural disasters.

The NatCat Model, developed with SUPRACO, provides a robust framework for quantifying risks and losses associated with various natural hazards, helping to inform disaster preparedness and infrastructure planning.