NDMA,FDE join hands to inculcate disaster resilience in schools

ISLAMABAD, Nov 30 (APP):National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) Thursday inked an agreement to inculcate disaster resilience in school students vulnerable to both natural and human induced hazards.
According to a press release, Gender and Child Cell (GCC), NDMA Thursday signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with FDE, on Pakistan School Safety Framework Scale-Up in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) areas. This MoU envisages institutional cooperation and long-term mutual collaboration between the two organizations, for PSSF Scale-Up initiatives in ICT schools that fall under FDE jurisdiction. FDE will support and facilitate NDMA in conducting trainings and
monitoring of the projects in selected schools.
The MoU was signed by Lt. Gen Omar Mahmood Hayat, Chairman NDMA and Hasnat Qureshi, Director General (DG), FDE. Speaking at the occasion, Chairman NDMA stated that the The partnership will support NDMA’s concerted efforts to make PSSF document more practical and adaptable by the education sector stakeholders, as best practice in their respective jurisdictions. DG FDE welcomed the opportunity to work with NDMA and said that the MoU will further strengthen the education sector by inculcating disaster resilience in schools vulnerable to both natural and human-induced hazards.
NDMA has formulated Pakistan School Safety Framework (PSSF) to strengthen the awareness and preparedness of students, teachers as well as the community at large, regarding hazards and potential risks.
PSSF was pre tested through a Pilot in 68 schools in all provinces, including ICT, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Owing to its monumental success, NDMA has decided to scale-up the School Safety Programme at the ICT level, which would primarily include PSSF Scale-Up in ICT Model Schools, Private Schools and Madrassas. This PSSF Scale Up will be carried out in 500 schools in two phases of 250 schools each.