Need To Include Disaster Risk Reduction In School Management – Director Of Education

Mr Fabian Belieb, Upper East Regional Director of Education, has stressed the need to include Disaster Risk Reduction in school management.

He explained that during emergency situations, it is the vulnerable including children who suffer and therefore the need to prepare adequately to help prevent disaster.

Mr Belieb made the call at the opening session of a three-day capacity building workshop on emergency preparedness for basic school training officers in the Region on Wednesday.

It was organised by Upper East Regional Directorate of Education and sponsored by UNICEF to assist personnel of Ghana Education Service to increase their awareness in disaster risk reduction, and help them build an effective methodology to introduce disaster awareness and promote action for disaster risk reduction in educational institutions.

Topics discussed included Disaster Management in Ghana, Conflict Management, Red Cross and Disaster Management, Flood, Causes and Preventive Measures, Fire Disasters, Effects and preventive measures.

Mr Belieb urged the participants to take the capacity building workshop serious and implement strategies for disaster prevention and management in their schools.

Mr Paul Wooma, Deputy Chief Disaster Control Officer in-charge of Talensi-Nabdam District, speaking on 'Disaster Management in Ghana', noted that not all disaster victims can be satisfied by the nation in terms of relief items therefore, the most vulnerable including children, women and the disabled are usually assisted.

He explained that disaster management is not the sole responsibility of Government and called on other stakeholders including school management teams to collaborate with NADMO to help manage disasters.

Mr Elisa Kofi Adombila, Senior Disaster Control Officer said there are several forms of disasters including flood, fire, diseases, and accidents and appealed to communities to identify disasters that occurred periodically and institute measures to prevent them.

Mr Mohammed Nuredeen Issahaq, Upper East Regional Manager of Ghana News Agency who delivered a paper on 'Conflict Management and Resolution' said conflict is a major cause of under-development in the country and appealed to the participants to educate pupils on the need to ensure peace in society and become responsible citizens.

He appealed to them to use the alternative resolution methods to resolve conflict instead of violence.

Mr Issahaq stressed the need for Government, NGOs and feuding factions to always resort to dialogue to resolve their differences, and strengthen the rule of law to deal with people who foment trouble.