PICISOC

“SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTERS”

Iosefo Volau [Director Asset & Monitoring Unit]

Asset Monitoring UnitMinistry of Education

Suva, Fiji

Location

National Flag National Airline

Population

- About 850,000 people comprising of 456,207 Fijians (54%),

320, 659 Indians (38%) and other minority races.

Disaster Management -MoEDM usually are not usually emphasized as a

priority in the MoEAfter attending a JICA sponsored workshop –

5 weeks in Japan – We realized the importance of DM in schools and MoE

Started the ‘Safer School against Disasters’ initiative

Number of Students in Primary and Secondary Schools

Classification of Schools

Number of

Number of Students

Primary 735 129,085

Secondary 166 69,000

TOTAL 901 198,085

Education in Emergencies & Safer Schools Against Disasters

In any Disaster whether it is natural or man made children, women and the powerless are the most vulnerable groups

Education In Emergencies (EIE) is critical in Risk Reduction Policy and Strategy –Safer Schools Against Disaster is a subset of EIE.

FUNCTIONS

UNESCO

ITEC

DISADVANTAGE Index

SI Primary

SI Secondary

School Planning

DM –SDP/AP

ESRI

Primary /Secondary

Government schools

/institutional quarters

Vernacular Texts

ITEC

Education in

Emergencies: Safer Schools

Against –DMP/EEP/

OHS

Functions –Asset Management in Education in Emergencies (EIE) Asset Management (School Resourcing) Plan, formulate and implement policies regarding the development of

primary education and secondary education in the country.  Supports teaching and learning in schools in provision of building

grants, tuition grants and other government grants. Education in Emergencies (EIE) –EIE policy

Safer Schools Against Disaster – Plans, Implements and monitors Schools Disaster Management Policies –DMP/EEP

DMP and EEP are Performance Indicators in the MoE- Strategic Development Plan and Corporate Plan and School SDP and Annual Plan

Monitors schools are Occupational Health and Safety compliant (OHS) Implements requirement that school spends 10% of total grants on Tropical

Cyclone Retrofitting and preventative measures against floods Ensures that construction of schools in line with building code

Rehabilitation Damage Assessments, Temporary shelters and classrooms, sanitation, water and

supplies Implement Special Projects as funded from overseas funding agencies such as

AusAID, EU and other donor agencies.

Our Strategic location - Fiji is in the hub of the Our Strategic location - Fiji is in the hub of the South West Pacific – transit point to regional South West Pacific – transit point to regional

countries, air and sea routes between mainland countries, air and sea routes between mainland America to Australia and New ZealandAmerica to Australia and New Zealand

Located in the Cyclone belt region of SW PacificLocated in the Cyclone belt region of SW Pacific

Located in the “Pacific Ring of Fire”Located in the “Pacific Ring of Fire”

The geography presents that Fiji is prone to The geography presents that Fiji is prone to flooding, landslide, high waves, drought, fire, flooding, landslide, high waves, drought, fire,

earthquake and tsunamiearthquake and tsunami Schools are mainly used as Evacuation Centers

during Disasters

Fiji sits in

the Pacific ring of

fire so its is

vulnerable to

earthquakes &

Tsunami

Japan

Year U.Time EpicenterMagnitu

deDamage Report

1932March 9th

1801 17.5S179.6E

Ms 6.3 Major Landslide on neighbouring islands tilting and major damage to the reef lighthouse

 1953Sep 14th

 0027 18.2S178.3E

Ms 6.7 Major damage to the wharf and buildings in Suva, Tsunami caused 3 fatalities in Suva and 12 reports of drowning in Kadavu and Koro

 1979Nov 17th

1521 16.5S179.8W

Ms 6.9 Major damage to buildings on neighboring islands.Landslide to island of Qamea.

1998Nov 26th 

0623 19.1S177.9E

Mb 6.5 Major damage to concrete buildings, major landslide to mount Washington, massive damage to plantations

Suva - Navua 1953 Earthquake Triggered this Tsunami which attacked the Suva Harbor 8

minutes after the Earthquake

DAMAGE TO THE SUVA WHARF CAUSED BY THE TSUNAMI

This section collapsed

The last series of Tsunami Waves Suva 1953 Earthquake (Ms 6.6)

FijiFiji

Solomon IsSolomon Is

VanuatuVanuatu

New CaledoniaNew Caledonia

•Cyclone•Drought•Earthquake•Flood •Landslide•Tsunami

Duavata Secondary –Staff Quarters

Then Staff Quarters Now –Staff Quarters

TC TOMAS HIT FIJI FEBRUARY 2010DAMAGE AT DUAVATA SECONDARY SCHOOL, NORTHERN DIVISION

Duavata Secondary- Duavata Secondary- $25,000 EU & MoE

Then Now

5 Months after – T/C

Naivaka Primary School: Lekutu Bua: $25,000

Existing-Classrooms Inside Existing Classrooms-

Naivaka Primary School: Lekutu Bua: $25,000

Classroom Classroom

Naiviivi Primary School-Qamea Island $23,332

Then Now

Naiviivi Primary School-Qamea Island $23,332

Then Now

Laucala District School- Qamea Island $23,332

Then –Classroom Now-Classroom

Laucala District School –Qamea Island $23,332

Then-Classroom Now: Inside Classroom

Overview of FESP-EU-T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Assistance Numbers of Schools Primary Secondary Total

% Completion of EU Project

Eastern Division 47 4 51 100

Cakaudrove 54 9 63 100

Macuata 26 7 33 100

Total 127 20 147 100

Budgets ($Fj) Primary Secondary Total ($Fj) % ACQUITTAL

Eastern Division 899,026 90,000 989,026 100

Cakaudrove 512,934 113,418 626,352 100

Macuata 281,000 58,500 339,500 100Administration, verification and monitoring     100,000 100

Total ($Fj) 1,692,960 261,918 2,054,878

Key to Success of the T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Assistance Projects

Positive Mental Attitude of the all Key Implementers – FESP EU Project Officers, MoE Officers in HQ and District Education officers, School Management and Heads of Schools.

Good Planning, Implementation and Evaluation –Constant team communication EU/MOE HQ/District/School Management –Proactive and Initiative Based Management – AMU planning 2 steps ahead of the progress of project.

Training –Financial Management and Acquittal Procedure and Process for District Education officers, School Management and Heads of Schools –Workshop -Opening of Project files

Provision of Monitoring fund by EU-5% of total fundingClose Monitoring of the Projects by District Education officers

and Quality Assurance from AMU : Workshop – monitoring of files

Closing of files workshop- Closing of Projects and Completion of Acquittal documentation

Lesson Learnt from FESP-EU T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Project

Fine Tuning of MoE Disaster Management Operation: System, People, Procedure and Process.

School Financial Management and Acquittal Procedure and Process Module now used in Leadership Training

A clear uniform Financial Management and Acquittal System used in the EU project will be put in place in all schools in Fiji: To ensure proper acquittal of Government Grants and decrease audit queries.

Impact of Small grants- $25,000 –Maximisation of impact through: Team planning, Training, close monitoring and meeting timelines.

Intervention through small grants- Implemented properly -Injects life into a community and brings them together to support their school in this hard times.

Part of the Tuition Grants Primary schools (Max $25,000 to $15,000) – set aside for maintenance and renovation of existing facilities and more importantly for transformation of infrastructure and facilities

Secondary tuition- Differential Resourcing Formula- injecting Positive change in schools- Closer monitoring is critical

EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES POLICY

Fiji Safer Schools Against Disaster - Reducing Vulnerability of School Children to Disaster

Actions carried out so far

Challenges

Way Forward

More Tropical Cyclone –Hurricane Season November 2010 to April 2012

It is predicted that Fiji will have more Tropical Cyclones in this hurricane Season.

More flooding of low land areasEarthquake and Tsunami threat is real and

cannot be ignoredThe best way to counter it is through

Disaster Awareness Program in the Schools and the community

SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011Paradigm Shift from Reactive to Proactive

Measures against Disaster in Schools –Disaster Reduction

Inclusion of EEP (Emergency Evacuation Plan) and Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for schools in the MoE Corporate Plan 2011 – Schools Therefore it is now a requirement for schools to

have EEP and DMPTuition Grant requirement – 10 % should used for

retrofitting against T/C hurricane: e.g Grant $100,000 then 10% must be used for retrofitting such as screws on roofing & shutters

Rewa Secondary/All Saints Secondary –Flood Risk Reduction –moved up the office and records in the first floor.

Rewa Secondary

SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011Conduct of Safer Schools Against Disaster –

Workshops for the Principals/Head Teachers and School Managers – Northern Division/Western Division/Central Division/Eastern Division – Already conducted

Currently conduction workshops for Leadership & Management workshops – Aspiring Leaders – Vice Principals and Assistance Head Teachers – 2 weeks holiday

Tsunami Mock Drill-Pilot –Involving five schools

SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011Formation of the ‘Safer Schools Against Disaster

Committee –Multi Sectorial Committee- National/DivisionsMoE & NDMO– Leading Agency/Police/FMF/FA/MoH/ NGO-Red Cross/Save the Children/PCDIRR/SOPAC

Organization of Tsunami Drills in Vulnerable schools in Suva Peninsula –Pilot Tsunami drill – 6 schools -17th August – No. of Students Involved- 2,430

Organisation of Main Tsunami Drill – Schools in Suva/Nasinu/MoE – held on 10th November 2011 -12,000 students

The Combine Tsunami Drill -10th November 2011MoE in partnership with NDMO and key emergency

agencies conducted a Tsunami Mock Drill involving about 12,000 students, teachers and Education officers in five education houses in Suva and Nasinu areas.

Green Alert drill – 1 hour to evacuate Schools –organised unit/roles of the receiving schoolsSchools and education houses sounded their sirens at

1400 hours and immediately execute their EEPPurpose-To test the reliability of the response and co-

ordination procedures of : Tsunami Evacuation Plan of the 23 schools

Purpose and Objectives of the Drill Purpose:To test the reliability of the response and co-

ordination procedures of Tsunami Evacuation Plan of the 23 schoolsTsunami Emergency Evacuation response Plan

(EEP) of Key Emergency AgenciesObjectives

MoE and key emergency agencies safely evacuate students and teachers to identified evacuation areas

To conduct Tsunami Disaster Awareness during the drill

Evaluate and fine tune the execution of the Tsunami Drill

Evacuation AreasSOPAC prepared the Map for the Evacuation Area

s 16 Evacuation areas were identified for the

schools, 5 Education houses and FNU/PSC staff taking part

Emergency Agencies were allocated respective Evacuation Areas under their responsibility

Emergency Agencies involved – Clear demarcation of MoE/NDMO/FPF/NFA/MOH/ST.J.AMB/RED CROSS/SCC/SAVE THE CHILDREN/FMF

Debriefing of schools and agencies were conducted after the drill

Lessons Learnt – from Observer forms The Execution of drill was carried out efficiently

and effectively –Schools, Work places and Emergency Agencies – Virtually no serious incident or accident.

Mock drill to be done once a term because to prepared all the vulnerable schools.

The schools using Raghwan Park as the evacuation center are requesting that a toilet facilities to be constructed on the park.

More training is needed on first-aid training for teachers and students.

All the schools should be train to design an EEP for all disaster and it should clear and simple

The schools are requesting for more equipment’s to prepare all the schools for mock drills for disaster.

Synchronization of time – siren –schools/Emergency Agency

SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011Formation of Community Awareness Group from

the Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee – to carry out disaster reduction awareness program for schools to be conducted before Tsunami Drill

Community Awareness Posters –EEP & DMP –Municipal Authorities

Formation of Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee in the Divisions to conduct Tsunami Drill – 2012

Formation of Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee in the 9 Education Districts

Tsunami Drill PhotosTsunami Drill Photos

•Need to strengthen and raise the awareness in school building designs and management•Need to standardize and conduct safety awareness training for all school management Boards & Committees-Currently undertaken•Need for incorporating Good Practices in school building designs and new constructions

•Need to incorporate Disaster Safety provisions in national school curriculum-•Need to raise Disaster Safety awareness campaigns for all scho

ols•Need to make schools safer as evacuation centers and offer more protection for the vulnerable –Children and Women•Need to provide adequate funding sources to address defects and deficiencies in schools•Need to safety audit all schools

•Need to establish Disaster Safety Committees for all schools•Need to develop Disaster Safety Plans for all schools-Disaster Management Plan (DMP), Emergency Evacuation Plan (EEP).•Need to conduct regular Disaster Safety Drills for all schools –Urban and Rural •Need to conduct regular Disaster Safety Awareness training for all schools Management & Committees

•Need to standardize and strengthen new building construction in remote rural areas• Need to train Masons, Carpenters in remote rural areas•Need to raise Disaster Safety Building Awareness in remote rural areas•EIE Policy to be completed -2012

Recommendations :•Safer Schools • Disaster Management/EEP/OHS• Ministry of Education take the lead role in school safety Whole Ministries approach in Disaster Awareness in the community – Safety Schools Against Disaster Committee.

Build Resilience Community against disaster

•Whole of Government Approach Safer Schools Against Disaster –EIE Policy, funding, continuation and sustainability of the Program•Making schools and the community more resilient against Disasters

UNCRD

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