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

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Latin America and the Caribbean
A smiling boy sits outdoors with other
children at the Renato Guitart primary
school in Havana, the capital of Cuba.
© UNICEF/NYHQ1995-0397/Barbour
Continents (grade 7) examines the need to protect the plants
and animals of different regions. It emphasizes the rational
use of all resources in confronting global shortage and depletion.
General Physical Geography and Geography of Cuba, both
taught in eighth grade, and General Economic Geography
and Geography of Cuba, in ninth grade, deal with the damage
caused by contamination and erosion, as well as protection,
landscape preservation and actions to preserve the ecological
balance. In General Geography (grade 10) students take an
in-depth look at the interaction between nature and society,
taking into consideration the processes that are harmful to the
environment, such as contamination by oil and pesticides,
deterioration of the ozone layer, thermal inversion, pollution (smog)
and erosion. The study of protected areas, national parks,
biosphere reserves, fauna shelters and others is also included.
Readings found in the Spanish Literature textbooks address
environmental issues, disaster preparedness and risk management.
Seventh-grade Biology features plants as an important element
in the environment and for human life, giving examples of
plant species of economic, medicinal, ornamental, endemic
and scientific-technical value, as well as looking at endangered
flora. At grade 8 Biology explains the importance of animals
within the environment and for humans, and also looks at
environmental damage caused by humans that has led to the
disappearance and extinction of animals. The course also considers
measures and ways to protect fauna. Ninth-grade
Biology introduces the issue of pollution, the ecological damage
it causes, its negative impact on health and the sanitary
measures for the preservation of human health and protection
against diseases and epidemics. In grades 11 and 12, Biology
takes a closer look at ecological problems, dealing with the
biosphere, habitat and ecological niche, ecosystems, communities,
populations and food chains, the diversity of ecosystems in
Cuba and alternative approaches to protecting the biosphere.
Chemistry deals with global warming, smog-caused pollution
and damage to the ozone layer, acid rain and other issues of
fundamental importance to disaster mitigation. The new teaching
materials that have been prepared are intended to link and
apply chemistry-related knowledge to life, in particular to the
issues relating to contamination, detoxification and protection
of the environment.
Other high-school subjects address various environmental issues;
for example, ninth-grade Physics looks at electronuclear power
plants and, as an integral part of the subject, examines safety
measures and alternative energy solutions that could prevent
disasters and ecological catastrophes.
Surveying curriculum developments in Cuba, we can see there
has been a shift away from a subject-isolated and primarily
scientific approach to environmental education that focuses on
focus on flora and fauna, to an interdisciplinary approach that
places with greater emphasis on the relationship between
society and nature, and the social, economic and cultural implications
of environmental risk and student/citizen engagement.
From 1980 to 1990, the Cuban government worked alongside
the National Environmental Protection Programme, placing
particular emphasis on environmental problems and related
educational actions. They also focussed on relating the main
documents governing the nation’s political, economic and
Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies from Thirty Countries