Pillar 1: Safe Learning Facilities
Making schools safer place for learning to safeguard school communities from death and injuries due to structural collapse, damages or malfunctions.
Implementable Activities
CONTEXT
A place for learning to safeguard school communities from death and injuries due to structural collapse, damages, or malfunctions and minimise losses to school facilities investments
INTEGRATED INTO EDUCATION SECTOR POLICIES & PLANS
- Identifying hazard, assessing likely structural impacts of existing schools & facilities, and access to schools, especially in hazard-prone areas
- Implementing structural and non-structural mitigation measures to improve structural safety (including retrofitting & re-modelling e.g. expanding area for fire exit, and securing tanks, equipment and furnishings in earthquake and cyclone-prone areas)
- Safe site selection for construction of new schools
ALIGNED TO NATIONAL, SUB-NATIONAL AND LOCAL DISASTER MANAGEMENT PLANS
- Strict compliance of school construction to existing national building codes and other building regulations and standards
- Ensuring school buildings and facilities design able to withstand hazard impacts, including localised small-scale hazards
- Ensuring construction supervision and quality controls are handled by officials/personnel with sound technical competence on structural safety from hazard aspects and building standards
- Training on DRR considerations to relevant entities involved in school construction
Detailed Activities as Guide for Operationalising the Framework
For existing schools (in hazard zones or aging conditions)
- Conduct risk assessment on structural aspects: school site, buildings & facilities Local engineers, technicians
- Develop guidelines for school retrofitting and for school-based mitigation strategies Ministry/Department of Public Works and Construction
- Set up criteria for structural mitigation and modifications prioritising schools in highest risk zones Ministry/Department of Public Works and Construction
- Implement structural retrofit as per results of risk assessment Local engineers, technicians, local contractors
- Set budgetary provision for structural interventions Budget Bureau and Planning Department
- Develop guidelines and financing system for on-going and deferred maintenance Engineering officials, Ministry/Department of Public Works, Construction, etc.
- Ensure building maintenance conducted on regular basis and necessary actions are done
accordingly - Pre-position back-up system such as electricity generators, and others as required
Progress Monitoring Indicators
- B1: Guidance and regulations are in place from appropriate authorities for safe school construction (SFDRR Priority 2)
- B2: Safe school site selection, design and construction are monitored for compliance/ enforcement by appropriate authorities. (SFDRR Priority 2)
- B.3. A systematic plan for assessment and prioritisation for retrofit and replacement of unsafe schools developed and implemented. (SFDRR Priority 1)
- B.4 The prioritisation plan for upgrading of existing unsafe schools is resourced and implemented. (SFDRR Priority 3)
- B5 Education authorities promoted routine maintenance and non-structural mitigation for increased safety and protection of investments in public schools. (SFDRR Priority 3)
- B6: Planning is undertaken for limited use of schools as temporary shelters or collective centres, during the school year. (SFDRR Priority 4)
For more details download: ASEAN Common Framework for Comprehensive School Safety