How school suppose prepare before flood or another emergency stop lessons? Three-day workshop for Guinea dey bring teachers, education officials and disaster-management experts together to answer that question. ECOWAS announce di opening on 5 November. E describe work to put disaster-risk reduction inside education, instead of waiting until emergency don reach before preparation start.
Di regional commission dey work with Guinea education authorities and its National Agency for di Management of Humanitarian Emergencies and Disasters, ANGUCH. The Guardian report say di activity belong to wider ECOWAS project to strengthen disaster-management capacity. European Union dey fund am through African Union Commission under di 11th European Development Fund. Na workshop announcement be dis, no be new funding offer to individual schools.
Participants go examine how to recognise dangers, early warnings, teacher training and school emergency arrangements. ECOWAS also highlight di needs of girls, younger children and learners wey get disabilities. Di opening report stress protection of pupils, staff and buildings from flood and other emergencies. E no identify any newly confirmed disaster for di school wey dey inside dis report old foto.
Things wey dem want produce include teaching materials wey fit local needs, safer procedures and clearer responsibility for follow-up. Na recommendations wey dem go develop during di sessions. Di opening statement and di other report no show say dem don adopt revised curriculum nationwide, upgrade school buildings or measure reduction in disruption to lessons.
ECOWAS link di work to Sendai Framework for 2015–2030. UNDRR explain say dis international framework prioritise understanding risk, better governance, investment to prevent disaster and preparation for response and recovery. Governments get di main role, but everybody for society share responsibility. For Nigerian readers, Guinea exercise na regional example to follow; e no announce change for Nigerian school policy.
Wetin e mean for you. Useful question for parent or school community na wetin emergency plan really contain: who go send warnings, how families go receive information and whether di arrangements include children wey get disabilities. Na practical questions wey di workshop agenda suggest, no be claim say one plan fit every school. Published recommendations and evidence say dem put am to work go matter pass opening ceremony.