Ministry of Education Organizes Activities in Schools for Risk Management Week

Ministry of Education Organizes Activities in Schools for Risk Management Week
República Dominicana, Santo Domingo 10/09/2012

The Ministry of Education (MINERD in Spanish) began Risk Management week with prevention activities in the schools, including round table discussions with students and educational community in general about measures to take in the face of natural disasters such as storms and earthquakes. They also sponsored simulated events as part of the training in the Santiago region.

She reported that 456 schools out of the 517 that belong to Regional 08 of Santiago have developed their Risk Management plan and that 32 professionals from the regional and district education departments were trained to support this process and provide follow-up, reviews and have them in effect at the beginning of this school year.

Risk Management week, going on until Friday October 12, will orient people on such natural disasters as earthquakes, what to do before, after and during and seismic risks faced by the Dominican Republic.

The Education Ministry is using a Strategic Plan for Risk Management, in effect since January 2012.
Risk Management coordinator for MINERD, Milagros Yost, explained that the program has set up a methodological proposal for the schools to prepare their own Risk Management plan and, with support from UNICEF, has trained all of the schools in Santiago.

She reported that 456 schools out of the 517 that belong to Regional 08 of Santiago have developed their Risk Management plan and that 32 professionals from the regional and district education departments were trained to support this process and provide follow-up, reviews and have them in effect at the beginning of this school year.

Training materials from management teams at the schools include a guide for the development of school building plans with support from the General Office of Order and Territorial Development (DGODT in Spanish), and the methodological Manual for regional and district officials, all with support from the United Nations Development Fund (UNDP) and UNICEF through the DIPECHO project.
In addition, each school also has its own practical kit, material and manual for individualized plans.

Actions

In the Santiago regional school district, 75,000 pamphlets were handed out about hygiene and water management, 541 first aid kits, 771 ABC extinguishers and 1,985 posters for evacuation route information from the schools, again with support from UNICEF, drills were held in the school districts.

Other risk management actions were developed including a campaign focusing on what to do before, after and during an earthquake. To that end, a flyer and poster was created with information on what to do in an earthquake. Seventy-four regional trainers gave three workshops on preventative measures.
In February of this year, the MINERD formed the Intra-Institutional Commission for Risk Management made up of professional representatives of all organizations involved in this area.

This commission is responsible for designing, activating and de-activating the informational guidebooks being used by the schools in case of an emergency and/or disaster and for prevention. It is also involved in guaranteeing that preparations are planned among teachers and that there is a database for decision-making prior to and after an emergency.

It is also in charge of establishing mechanisms for coordination and association strategies with allies in civil society and other governmental institutions; oversee emergency supply and logistics for the preparation of the sector in the event of an emergency and/or disaster. It will design, implement, monitor and evaluate the first response plan in the educational sector.

Since 2010, the Ministry of Education has had in place a protocol system for the Regional and District Educational Offices and schools for the prevention, response and recovery of students in the face of weather-related and water phenomena.