ASSESSING DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AT SCHOOL LEVEL: A STUDY OF DHAKA NORTH CITY CORPORATION AREA

Abstract

The present study investigates school vulnerabilities (physical, environmental and social) and level of stakeholders’ (teachers, students, guardians, school management committee and school administration) awareness on disaster risk reduction measures at DNCC area. A mixed method approach was adopted while both primary (individual interviews with school heads with a semi-structured questionnaire, FGDs, KIIs) and secondary data (DNCC, Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, BANBEIS and published and unpolished materials) have been gathered. Epicollect5 apps and GIS arc software have been also used for field survey, data storage, analysis and map making. The study wards 20 were selected from a total of 54 wards of 10 zones following stratified sampling techniques. A total of 115 schools were selected randomly from 515 schools (20 primary schools out of 122, 20 English medium schools out of 87 and 75 secondary high schools out of 306). Study findings reveal that a significant number of schools (26%) are located in residential and commercial buildings, among them 44% schools are multistoried (> 6 storied) while 72% schools have single stair with no open space (54%). Around 30% schools were constructed without following BNBC and approval from concerned authority. Study schools are found vulnerable to different hazards (water logging, earthquake, building collapse, fire, environmental pollution etc.). Infrastructural vulnerabilities of the schools include very poor construction of building, poor accessibility to & from school, poor drainage condition, lack of fire compliance etc. Heavy rain induced water logging is common at schools; students face tremendous air and noise pollution and transport related problems while coming to school during rainy season. Highly vulnerable water logging schools are 42% while 23% and 25% schools are found highly vulnerable to fire and earthquake hazards respectively. Poor accessibility (20%), environmentally highly vulnerable (28%), while 85% schools with single exits and no emergency exits; 93% schools having no PWD stairs. Around 27% students do not have access to convenient transport facilities. The study also reveals that 52% of teachers are found aware of emergency number, operating procedure, evacuation route, alarm system, assembly point and first aid as DRR measures. Only 37% students and 16% school management members are aware on DRR. An overwhelming majority (75%) of the guardians are not aware on DRR. Regular awareness program/ mock drills on fire and earthquake are absent. After the year of 2015, most of the schools (92%) did not continue fire and earthquake drills. Absence of proper mindset regarding DRR is also found, while there is lack in preparedness initiatives and no emergency management system and no emergency operation plan in practice in the schools of the studied area in DNCC. Although disaster preparedness knowledge is included in the curricula, there is no legal policy and inadequate training facilities for the teacher and the staff of the schools. Earthquake preparedness exists in schools 51%; fire compliance 26%; drainage management (53%), sanitation level (80%), availability of safe drinking water (73%). The study explores that no structured evacuation and retrofitting system designed for the schools is in place. However, strengthening school safety measures through retrofitting, installation of fire compliance, improving drainage systems, awareness building activities like; regular mock drills, relocation of schools located/rented in residential buildings and ensuring DRR education in the curricula etc. are essentially required to ensure safety and resilience of schools at DNCC area.