NEWS
Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Photo: © UNICEF/Gonzallo Bell

Ministers and education authorities of Central America and the Dominican Republic adopted the Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction. This was accomplished within an ordinary session of the CECC, Ministers and education authorities of Central America and the Dominican Republic, held last 9th of May in Panama. With the approval of the Strategic Framework for Education on Disaster Risk Reduction the commitment to motivate Ministries of Education offices to use the Framework to define policies and actions on Disaster Risk Reduction was established.

The framework includes

• Formation of DRR Curriculum and Teachers – A plan for incorporating a curriculum that would encourage youth to invest their talents and future in the task of disaster risk reduction. This process begins with bringing youth into the process of DRR through youth brigades and training so they can take an active role in building the culture of awareness amongst their peers and within their communities. The plan continues on with the formation of a formal curriculum for older students and career plans in the areas supporting DDRR.
• 
  Secure Physical Educational Infrastructure (SIFE) – A guide for planning, design, construction and maintenance of safe educational infrastructures that would change national and interinstitucional policies for minimum standards in educational infrastructure. The plan includes creating a maintenance program that would involve the entire community in contributing their talents to the continued effort to provide a safe learning environment for their children.
• 
  Preparations and Plans for Protected Schools (PPPE) – A plan for organized and rapid recovery of educational services in the post emergency stage also promotes cooperation from a national level to the local level. The plan includes integrating emergency plans in each educational facility identifying preventive, response and recovery measures that would address community emergency response needs while providing tools and measures for a rapid and organized recovery.

Available Materials

INEE
The Minimum Standards for Education in Emergencies, Chronic Crises and Early Reconstruction are both a handbook and an expression of commitment, developed through a broad process of collaboration, that all individuals – children, youth and adults – have a right to education during emergencies.

They echo the core beliefs of the Sphere Project: that all possible steps should be taken to alleviate human suffering arising out of calamity and conflict, and that people affected by disaster have a right to life with dignity.
http://www.ineesite.org/minimum_standards/MSEE_report.pdf

Safe School - Escuela Segura
Reference document for education authorities as well as teachers, technicians, and cooperative institutions dealing with risk reduction in the education sector regarding considerations about what a safe school in safe territory means.

http://cd/toolkit08/material/Inicio/escuela_segura/item.html

Schools as shelters - Escuela Albergue
Document about the considerations regarding the use of schools as shelters during emergencies. It includes the priority of protecting life and assuring security in emergency situations and explains the advantages and disadvantages of the use of the educational facilities as shelters as well as the importance of the rapid recovery of educational services.

http://cd/toolkit08/material/Inicio/escuela_albergue/item.html

New Tool Kit
The widely successful ToolKit has been enhanced and now provides additional materials that support the imperative task of Disaster Risk Reduction. This collection of resources is representative of the priority and interest to provide local communities with the tools to help themselves build resilient communities.

http://cd/toolkit08/

Systematized Index - Fichero Sistematizacion
Systematized cards and CD of replicable experiences in Central America regarding disaster risk reduction in the education sector. This is a product of best practices, tools and replicable experiences in disaster risk reduction (carried out by national, international, governmental and non-governmental agents involved in the Central American education sector) compiled during DIPECHO project 5th Action Plan.

http://cd/toolkit08/cd2/item.html