PICISOC

1. PICISOC “SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTERS” Iosefo Volau [Director Asset & Monitoring Unit] Asset Monitoring Unit Ministry of Education Suva, Fiji

2. About Fiji Location

3. NationalFlag National Airline Population - About 850,000 people comprising of 456,207 Fijians (54%), 320, 659 Indians (38%) and other minority races.

4. Disaster Management -MoE • DM usually are not usually emphasized as a priority in the MoE • After attending a JICA sponsored workshop – 5 weeks in Japan – We realized the importance of DM in schools and MoE • Started the ‘Safer School against Disasters’ initiative

5. Number of Students in Primary and Secondary Schools

6. Education in Emergencies & Safer Schools Against Disasters • In any Disaster whether it is natural or man made children, women and the powerless are the most vulnerable groups • Education In Emergencies (EIE) is critical in Risk Reduction Policy and Strategy –Safer Schools Against Disaster is a subset of EIE.

7. SI Primary SI Secondary FUNCTIONS DISADVANTAGE Index School Planning DM –SDP/AP Government schools /institutional quarters ESRI Education in Emergencies: Safer Schools Against –DMP/EEP/OHS UNESCO ITEC ITEC Vernacular Texts Primary /Secondary

8. Functions –Asset Management in Education in Emergencies (EIE) • Asset Management (School Resourcing) • Plan, formulate and implement policies regarding the development of primary education and secondary education in the country.  • Supports teaching and learning in schools in provision of building grants, tuition grants and other government grants. • Education in Emergencies (EIE) –EIE policy • Safer Schools Against Disaster – • Plans, Implements and monitors Schools Disaster Management Policies –DMP/EEP • DMP and EEP are Performance Indicators in the MoE- Strategic Development Plan and Corporate Plan and School SDP and Annual Plan • Monitors schools are Occupational Health and Safety compliant (OHS) • Implements requirement that school spends 10% of total grants on Tropical Cyclone Retrofitting and preventative measures against floods • Ensures that construction of schools in line with building code • Rehabilitation • Damage Assessments, Temporary shelters and classrooms, sanitation, water and supplies • Implement Special Projects as funded from overseas funding agencies such as AusAID, EU and other donor agencies.

9. Why do we need to have safer schools against disasters in Fiji? Our Strategic location - Fiji is in the hub of the South West Pacific – transit point to regional countries, air and sea routes between mainland America to Australia and New Zealand Located in the Cyclone belt region of SW Pacific Located in the “Pacific Ring of Fire” The geography presents that Fiji is prone to flooding, landslide, high waves, drought, fire, earthquake and tsunami Schools are mainly used as Evacuation Centers during Disasters

10. Japan Fiji – Located in the “Pacific Ring of Fire” Fiji sits in the Pacific ring of fire so its is vulnerable to earthquakes & Tsunami

11. Earthquake Records-Fiji

12. Suva - Navua 1953 Earthquake Triggered this Tsunami which attacked the Suva Harbor 8 minutes after the Earthquake 4m high

13. DAMAGE TO THE SUVA WHARF CAUSED BY THE TSUNAMI This section collapsed Piles Tilted

14. Suva Seawall damaged by the Tsunami (1953) Earthquake Ms 6.6

15. The last series of Tsunami Waves Suva 1953 Earthquake (Ms 6.6)

16. Boats piled up in a confused mess after the Tsunami

17. Our Colonial Masters Examining a Huge Coral Boulder brought in by the Tsunami

18. …and also in the Cyclone Belt Solomon Is Fiji Vanuatu New Caledonia

19. Kinds of Natural Disasters in Fiji Cyclone Drought Earthquake Flood Landslide Tsunami

20. Duavata Secondary –Staff Quarters Then Staff Quarters Now –Staff Quarters

21. TC TOMAS HIT FIJI FEBRUARY 2010 DAMAGE AT DUAVATA SECONDARY SCHOOL, NORTHERN DIVISION

22. Duavata Secondary- Duavata Secondary- $25,000 EU & MoE Then Now

23. 5 Months after – T/C

24. Classroom at Nabau District School covered by debris after the flood

25. Naivaka Primary School: Lekutu Bua: $25,000 Existing-Classrooms Inside Existing Classrooms-

26. Naivaka Primary School: Lekutu Bua: $25,000 Classroom Classroom

27. Naiviivi Primary School-Qamea Island $23,332 Then Now

28. Naiviivi Primary School-Qamea Island $23,332 Then Now

29. Laucala District School- Qamea Island $23,332 Then –Classroom Now-Classroom

30. Laucala District School –Qamea Island $23,332 Then-Classroom Now: Inside Classroom

31. Overview of FESP-EU-T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Assistance

32. Key to Success of the T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Assistance Projects Positive Mental Attitude of the all Key Implementers – FESP EU Project Officers, MoE Officers in HQ and District Education officers, School Management and Heads of Schools. Good Planning, Implementation and Evaluation –Constant team communication EU/MOE HQ/District/School Management –Proactive and Initiative Based Management – AMU planning 2 steps ahead of the progress of project. Training –Financial Management and Acquittal Procedure and Process for District Education officers, School Management and Heads of Schools –Workshop -Opening of Project files Provision of Monitoring fund by EU-5% of total funding Close Monitoring of the Projects by District Education officers and Quality Assurance from AMU : Workshop – monitoring of files Closing of files workshop- Closing of Projects and Completion of Acquittal documentation

33. Lesson Learnt from FESP-EU T/C Tomas Rehabilitation Project Fine Tuning of MoE Disaster Management Operation: System, People, Procedure and Process. School Financial Management and Acquittal Procedure and Process Module now used in Leadership Training A clear uniform Financial Management and Acquittal System used in the EU project will be put in place in all schools in Fiji: To ensure proper acquittal of Government Grants and decrease audit queries. Impact of Small grants- $25,000 –Maximisation of impact through: Team planning, Training, close monitoring and meeting timelines. Intervention through small grants- Implemented properly -Injects life into a community and brings them together to support their school in this hard times. Part of the Tuition Grants Primary schools (Max $25,000 to $15,000) – set aside for maintenance and renovation of existing facilities and more importantly for transformation of infrastructure and facilities Secondary tuition- Differential Resourcing Formula- injecting Positive change in schools- Closer monitoring is critical

34. MAIN FOCUS OF PRESENTATION EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES POLICY Fiji Safer Schools Against Disaster - Reducing Vulnerability of School Children to Disaster Actions carried out so far Challenges Way Forward

35. More Tropical Cyclone –Hurricane Season November 2010 to April 2012 • It is predicted that Fiji will have more Tropical Cyclones in this hurricane Season. • More flooding of low land areas • Earthquake and Tsunami threat is real and cannot be ignored • The best way to counter it is through Disaster Awareness Program in the Schools and the community

36. SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011 • Paradigm Shift from Reactive to Proactive Measures against Disaster in Schools –Disaster Reduction • Inclusion of EEP (Emergency Evacuation Plan) and Disaster Management Plan (DMP) for schools in the MoE Corporate Plan 2011 – Schools • Therefore it is now a requirement for schools to have EEP and DMP • Tuition Grant requirement – 10 % should used for retrofitting against T/C hurricane: e.g Grant $100,000 then 10% must be used for retrofitting such as screws on roofing & shutters

37. Rewa Secondary/All Saints Secondary –Flood Risk Reduction –moved up the office and records in the first floor.

38. Rewa Secondary

39. SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011 • Conduct of Safer Schools Against Disaster – Workshops for the Principals/Head Teachers and School Managers – Northern Division/Western Division/Central Division/Eastern Division – Already conducted • Currently conduction workshops for Leadership & Management workshops – Aspiring Leaders – Vice Principals and Assistance Head Teachers – 2 weeks holiday

40. Tsunami Mock Drill-Pilot –Involving five schools

41. SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011 • Formation of the ‘Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee –Multi Sectorial Committee- National/Divisions • MoE & NDMO– Leading Agency/Police/FMF/FA/MoH/ • NGO-Red Cross/Save the Children/PCDIRR/SOPAC • Organization of Tsunami Drills in Vulnerable schools in Suva Peninsula –Pilot Tsunami drill – 6 schools -17th August – No. of Students Involved- 2,430 • Organisation of Main Tsunami Drill – Schools in Suva/Nasinu/MoE – held on 10th November 2011 -12,000 students

42. The Combine Tsunami Drill -10th November 2011 • MoE in partnership with NDMO and key emergency agencies conducted a Tsunami Mock Drill involving about 12,000 students, teachers and Education officers in five education houses in Suva and Nasinu areas. • Green Alert drill – 1 hour to evacuate • Schools –organised unit/roles of the receiving schools • Schools and education houses sounded their sirens at 1400 hours and immediately execute their EEP • Purpose-To test the reliability of the response and co-ordination procedures of : Tsunami Evacuation Plan of the 23 schools

43. Purpose and Objectives of the Drill • Purpose: • To test the reliability of the response and co-ordination procedures of • Tsunami Evacuation Plan of the 23 schools • Tsunami Emergency Evacuation response Plan (EEP) of Key Emergency Agencies • Objectives • MoE and key emergency agencies safely evacuate students and teachers to identified evacuation areas • To conduct Tsunami Disaster Awareness during the drill • Evaluate and fine tune the execution of the Tsunami Drill

44. Evacuation Areas • SOPAC prepared the Map for the Evacuation Areas • 16 Evacuation areas were identified for the schools, 5 Education houses and FNU/PSC staff taking part • Emergency Agencies were allocated respective Evacuation Areas under their responsibility • Emergency Agencies involved – Clear demarcation of MoE/NDMO/FPF/NFA/MOH/ST.J.AMB/RED CROSS/SCC/SAVE THE CHILDREN/FMF • Debriefing of schools and agencies were conducted after the drill

45. Lessons Learnt – from Observer forms • The Execution of drill was carried out efficiently and effectively –Schools, Work places and Emergency Agencies – Virtually no serious incident or accident. • Mock drill to be done once a term because to prepared all the vulnerable schools. • The schools using Raghwan Park as the evacuation center are requesting that a toilet facilities to be constructed on the park. • More training is needed on first-aid training for teachers and students. • All the schools should be train to design an EEP for all disaster and it should clear and simple • The schools are requesting for more equipment’s to prepare all the schools for mock drills for disaster. • Synchronization of time – siren –schools/Emergency Agency

46. SAFER SCHOOLS AGAINST DISASTER PROGRAM IN SCHOOLS: 2011 • Formation of Community Awareness Group from the Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee – to carry out disaster reduction awareness program for schools to be conducted before Tsunami Drill • Community Awareness Posters –EEP & DMP –Municipal Authorities • Formation of Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee in the Divisions to conduct Tsunami Drill – 2012 • Formation of Safer Schools Against Disaster Committee in the 9 Education Districts

47. Tsunami Drill Photos • Tsunami Drill Photos

48. CHALLENGES Need to strengthen and raise the awareness in school building designs and management Need to standardize and conduct safety awareness training for all school management Boards & Committees-Currently undertaken Need for incorporating Good Practices in school building designs and new constructions

49. CHALLENGES Need to incorporate Disaster Safety provisions in national school curriculum- Need to raise Disaster Safety awareness campaigns for all schools Need to make schools safer as evacuation centers and offer more protection for the vulnerable –Children and Women Need to provide adequate funding sources to address defects and deficiencies in schools Need to safety audit all schools

50. CHALLENGES Need to establish Disaster Safety Committees for all schools Need to develop Disaster Safety Plans for all schools-Disaster Management Plan (DMP), Emergency Evacuation Plan (EEP). Need to conduct regular Disaster Safety Drills for all schools –Urban and Rural Need to conduct regular Disaster Safety Awareness training for all schools Management & Committees