NDMA formulates school safety guidelines

With an aim of safety of school children, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has formulated the National Disaster Management Guidelines on School Safety Policy in 2016.

The guidelines point to the roles and responsibilities of different stakeholders for preparing plans, developing capacity, incorporating risk reduction in syllabus and improving coordination and synergy at all levels with respect to school safety and disaster preparedness.

“There is a need to co-opt senior officials of the department of education at the state and the district level as part of the state and District Disaster Management Authorities, for promotion of safe schools. In addition, a School Safety Advisory Committee may be formed to advise the education department on the subject,” said the guideline.

It recommends that all existing as well as new schools need to conform to safety standards as per the National Building Code. It also cautioned schools on their expansion plans. “Vertical expansion of existing schools shall not be carried out without a fitness certificate for the building from a certified civil / structural engineer.

Additional classrooms or any other structures requiring horizontal expansion shall be designed taking into account the space availability.”

The guideline also states that every class room should have two doors for easy evacuation. However, many educationists feel that these norms will be difficult to implement. “Schools in the city are already struggling for space, it is almost impossible to implement everything,” says the Correspondent of a school, who did not want to be named.