Seven school-related disasters: Lessons for policymakers and school personnel

Abstract

Students are highly dependent on the emergency planning and evacuation decisions made by policymakers and school personnel when disasters occur. The purpose of this study was to examine selected cases of school-related disasters, highlighting how factors of the school context intersected with natural hazards and subsequently affected schoolchildren. Purposeful maximal sampling was used to select school-related disaster cases for their geographical diversity, different instructional contexts, and types of initiating hazards. Among these, seven cases with broad considerations pertaining to educational policy and safe school environments were selected. A within-case analysis was conducted of each case, followed by a cross-case thematic analysis. Six overarching factors were found in the thematic synthesis of the findings. First, school safety practices apply anytime children are under the supervision of school personnel, making knowledge of emergency procedures across multiple types of school settings essential. Second, elements that place schoolchildren at risk also place school personnel at risk. Third, teachers and school administrators need to be well-trained and knowledgeable enough to make independent decisions in emergency situations. Fourth, children must know emergency procedures so they may take independent action, given teachers are also at-risk during disasters. Fifth, most school disasters can be prevented through safe school construction. Finally, it is the responsibility of policymakers to ensure schools are safe learning environments for children. By participating in and advocating for a culture of preparedness, educational policymakers can better protect schoolchildren, as well as school personnel, in disaster situations.

What do teachers think of death education?

“…However, at times, the social taboo on death is reflected in the school environment (Herr an et al, 2019), due to teachers' own fears and attitudes toward dealing with the subject (Galende, 2015;Herr an et al, 2000), their lack of training in death education (Herr an et al, 2000;Holland, 2008) and the belief that children and adolescents cannot achieve an understanding of death (Schoen et al, 2004), amongst other reasons. Although death is inherent to the process of living, curriculums do not plan for the incorporation of death in disciplinary or transversal education, including skills (Herr an et al, 2019;Rodr ıguez et al, 2020); it is only dealt with reactively when it is unavoidable, in tragic circumstances or disasters (i.e., Stough et al, 2018).…”

Pendidikan Kebencanaan Berbasis Kearifan Lokal Dalam Penguatan Karakter Siapsiaga Bencana

“…Keefektifan pembelajaran kebencanaan ini berkaitan dengan kesiapan sekolah dalam mengantispasi setiap bentuk potensi kebencanaan yang muncul (Stough et al, 2018). Enam faktor menyeluruh ditemukan dalam sintesis tematik temuan.…”

Disaster Mitigation in Early Childhood Education

“…Besides children, natural disasters also cause high rates of damages in school facilities (Kousky, 2016). Due to the fact that natural disasters can occur in any time, school should be one of the places where people can feel safe (Stough, Kang, & Lee, 2018). Thus, according to said situations, attention to children and school in the context of disasters needs to be increased (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana, 2012).…”

“…Thus, according to said situations, attention to children and school in the context of disasters needs to be increased (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana, 2012). As explained by Mutasa & Munsaka (2019) and Stough et al (2018), disaster mitigation is important to be implemented in children and education institutions. Disaster mitigation is explained as an effort to reduce disaster risks.…”

“…(UNISDR, 2009). There are various other researches that show the importance of disaster mitigation in school Stough et al (2018) and the success of disaster education in the students' preparedness Adiyoso & Kanegae (2012). Even though Tuswadi (2014) still found that ineffective teaching of disasters could not be grasped fully by children in his research, but research about disaster risk reduction in preschool has been done by Proulx (2019), showing that disaster risks reduction intervention provides an increase in the quality of school environment and children knowledge about natural disaster.…”