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

110
Section 10.
Case 11:
The Case Studies
The Philippines
Overview
The Philippines offers an example of DRR
curriculum mainstreaming initially at the
secondary level through a centralized and
competency based approach predicated
upon strong governmental commitment
to and priority in advancing DRR practices
in the education system.
After targeted integration of DRR into
Natural Science and Social Studies
subjects in one secondary grade level
(i.e., grade 7, first year high school),
further integration of DRR into other
grade levels is currently ongoing.
Introduction
As one of 26 Asian countries within the Regional Consultative
Committee (RCC) on Disaster Management (see also case 6,
Cambodia, and case 9, Lao PDR), the National Disaster Coordinating
Council Office of Civil Defence (NDCC-OCD) of the
Philippines expressed an interest in taking up a priority
implementation project (PIP) to mainstream DRR in the education
sector through two avenues: integrating DRR into the school
curriculum and ensuring hazard-resistant construction in
schools. The Mainstreaming DRR in the Education Sector
(MDRD-EDU) project was led by the Department of Education
(DepEd) together with NDCC-OCD, the Asian Disaster
Preparedness Centre (ADPC), and UNDP with support from the
European Commission Humanitarian Aid Department (EHCO).
The first phase of the project took place from January 2007 to
April 2008, followed by a second phase from September 2008
to December 2009 (DepEd et al, undated, Centre for Disaster
Preparedness, 2008).
Curriculum Development/Integration
It was the Department of Education and a Technical Working
Group (TWG)’s (see below) decision to integrate DRR topics
into existing school subjects rather than creating a new subject.
The Philippines’ strategy of DRR integration has been
competency-based: ‘There is a given list of competencies
determined by the school curriculum committee. In line with
this, the committee first develops core messages about DRR,
followed by the development of key concepts, and, finally the
development of the module. The committee determines which
hazards should become part of the content. The DepEd then
develops the exemplar’ (ASEAN/UNISDR, 2011, 28).
DRR components have been integrated into Natural
Science (grade 7) and Social Studies (grade 7) mainly by
making teaching and learning support materials available (i.e.,
lesson exemplars and modules developed by the TWG,
see DepEd, 2009 a, b).
Mainstreaming Disaster Risk Reduction in the Education Sector
in the Philippines: Teacher/Student Modules Science 1 (DepEd,
2009b) is a reference book which includes definitions and
causes of hazards most relevant to the national context (i.e.,
heat waves, fire, landslides, earthquake, volcanic eruptions,
tornados, tropical cyclone, floods, storm surges, tsunamis,
global warming and climate change). It explains what to do
before, during and after disasters and also includes chapters
about disaster supply kits and family disaster plans. The
Teacher/Student Modules booklet states that ‘the transfer and
acquisition of knowledge between teachers and students is
vital in the creation of a culture of prevention, safety, and resilience
that extends to communities as students are transformed from
being victims of disasters to agents of disaster risk reduction’
(Ibid, no pagination).
Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies from Thirty Countries