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

128
Section 10.
Case 15:
The Case Studies
Malawi
Overview
Malawi has not yet employed disaster risk
reduction as a guiding concept for
curriculum development, but addressing
vulnerabilities is already prominent in a
curriculum uniquely informed by ‘seven
main categories of skills’. Among a
number of opportunities for integrating
DRR and climate change themes in the
curriculum, Life Skills Education, which
emphasizes ‘psycho-social skills’, seems
to offer fertile ground. Malawi is already
employing continuous assessment and
the Child Friendly Schools model at the
primary level, thus further preparing
the ground for effective DRR
education implementation.
Introduction
Malawi’s school curriculum is informed by seven overarching
national skills categories: 1. citizenship skills; 2. ethical and
socio-cultural skills; 3. economic development and environmental
management skills; 4. occupational and entrepreneurship skills;
5. practical skills; 6. creativity and resourcefulness skills; 7.
scientific and technological development skills (Malawi Institute
of Education, 2004). Each of these seven overarching categories
of skills translates into detailed outcomes for primary education
and objectives for secondary education. (In Malawi, the new
primary school curriculum, grades 1-8, is outcomes-based and
the secondary curriculum, grades 9-12, is objectives-based) 66 .
In the Malawi curriculum documentation, the notion of ‘skills’
is used loosely to encompass competencies related to knowledge,
skills, attitudes, values and behaviour.
At the primary level, these overarching seven categories of
skills translate into eight development outcomes to be achieved
by the end of primary education. A number of the
development outcomes are particularly relevant to competencies
identified in literature on DRR education. They include: ‘communicate
competently, effectively and relevantly in a variety
of contexts and in multiple languages’; ‘produce product
and solutions through Science and Technology in a creative
way and demonstrate respect for the environment to solve
problems’(sic.); ‘demonstrate health promoting behaviour in
their personal lives as well as their communities and wider
environment with particular attention to prevalent diseases
such as malaria, sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV and
AIDS’; ‘observe, interact with the natural and physical environment
in order to understand and make use of their interrelationship
in a responsible and appreciative manner’ (Malawi Institute of
Education, 2005 a, b, c, d, 2007 a, b, c).
A total of 68 objectives are put forth for secondary education.
Some of the objectives also run parallel to competencies observed
in literature on DRR education. For example, in the
category of ‘citizenship skills,’ students are expected to ‘acquire
decision-making skills necessary for participation in civic
affairs,’ to ‘initiate and implement community projects,’ to ‘develop
personal and social responsibility,’ and to ‘demonstrate a spirit
of leadership and service.’ (Malawi Institute of Education,
2004, iv-v). Under the category of ‘economic development
and environment management skills’ appear a few objectives
concerning understanding of Malawi’s natural resources and
natural conservation as well as the application of environmental
resource management and agriculture practices (36-41, 44).
The ‘creativity and resourcefulness skills’ require students
to ‘apply problem-solving techniques to new situations’ (56),
to ‘develop the ability to maximize the use of available resources’
(60) and to ‘develop the spirit of inquiry and independent thinking’
(61) (Malawi Institute of Education, 2004, iv-v).
In Malawi’s spiral competency-based curricula, each subject
and grade-specific syllabus includes a ‘scope and sequence
chart’ in which target skills (or competencies) are placed in
a specific order and sequenced so that they are reinforced and
deepened grade by grade. Accompanying each skills-oriented
goal are topics, objectives (i.e., competencies which students
obtain), contents, teaching and learning methodologies, teaching
and learning resources and modes of assessment.
66
Alison Mhlanga, Malawi Institute of Education, to Fumiyo Kagawa,
13 December 2011. Note: For the consistency of the report, Malawi’s
curriculum ‘standard’ is called ‘grade’.
Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies from Thirty Countries