Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies ... - Unicef

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Section 10.
Case 10:
The Case Studies
Myanmar (synoptic case)
Overview
Myanmar offers an example of using the
life skills curriculum as the primary carrier
of DRR curriculum
The Myanmar Action Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction
(MAPDDR), 2009-15, includes public awareness, education
and training as a major component while the Strategic National
Action Plan identifies education as key to building a culture of
resilience (ASEAN/UNISDR, 2011, 8). Thus far, this has not
been followed by a Ministry of Education order to mainstream
DRR into the education system and school curriculum (ASEAN/
UNISDR, 2011, 27).
A Disaster Preparedness and Response Education (DPRE)
Working Group with representatives from the Department
of Educational Planning and Training, the Ministry of Education,
UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, was formed
in August 2008. It is responsible for collecting, organizing and
developing learning and teaching materials, distributing them
to schools, and training teachers in their classroom use
(Ibid. 9; UNISDR, 2010, 14).
Myanmar embraces a subject-based approach to introducing
DRR in the curriculum (ASEAN/UNISDR, 2011, 27). Life Skills
is the principal subject carrier across the primary and lower
secondary grade levels, mainly within one of the subject’s
five main areas, Environmental Education. Grade 5 Life Skills
includes a unit on Caution in Emergencies (primarily covering
floods, tsunami, earthquakes and forest fires); grade 6 Life
Skills has a unit entitled Emergency! It’s Flooding!; grade 7 Life
Skills addresses Disaster Preparedness; grade 8 has a topic
covering earthquakes, landslides and safety in the event of fire.
In addition to the Life Skills contribution to DRR at these grade
levels, a recently revised General Science curriculum includes
topics on Thunderstorms in grade 6 and Storms in grade 8.
(Ibid, 2011, 10).
At the upper secondary level the grade 10 English curriculum
includes a reading unit with comprehension exercises on
Earthquakes, while Geography in grade 11 includes a topic on
Earth Surface Processes. It remains to be seen whether these
two subjects are optional or required at the levels concerned.
An activity book, Let’s Be Prepared for Disasters has been
made available for primary level use. It uses ‘interactive tools
and fun-based activities for children to work individually and
in groups’ and ‘can be used for different age groups as deemed
suitable by their school teachers’ (UNESCO, undated).
A secondary level student manual, Ready~Set~Prepared!,
offers guidance in making disaster preparedness plans, family
communications plans in time of disaster and planning disaster
supply kits and also gives advice on recognizing looming
disaster danger signs and steps to take if disaster strikes
(UNICEF, undated).
Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies from Thirty Countries