ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OSHIMIRI NORTH LGA OF DELTA STATE

ASSESSMENT OF THE EXTENT OF DISASTER MANAGEMENT PREPAREDNESS IN PUBLIC SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN OSHIMIRI NORTH LGA OF DELTA STATE

ABSTRACT

This research focused on the Assessment of the extent of disaster management preparedness in public secondary schools in Oshimiri North LGA of Delta State. Many of the schools still remain unprepared if disasters occur. There is a gap between policy makers and implementation in the ministry of education and the schools since the guidelines on safety in schools still seem an alien concept to many of the schools. The research was guided by the following objectives: to establish the extent to which school funding influences preparedness in disaster management; to ascertain to what extent entrenched corruption influences preparedness in disaster management and to establish the extent to which stakeholders’ participation influences preparedness in disaster management in public secondary schools in Oshimiri North LGA of Delta State. The research was based on the Chaos Theory by Henri Poincare (1854-1912) whose premise is that systems sometimes reside in chaos, generating energy but without any predictability or direction. The target population of this study was the 25 Public secondary schools in Delta State. The research used descriptive survey research as its research design so as to allow the researcher to obtain data that had not been manipulated. The Krejcie and Morgan table (1970) was used to select the sample of schools which was 24 public secondary schools. The principals, teachers, support staff, parents, school neighbours and students of the sampled schools were purposively sampled as respondents. Questionnaires and observation checklists were used to collect primary data from the respondents. A combination of both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques was used to analyse the data. The validity and reliability of the instruments was tested through piloting. The findings indicated that most schools depend on M.O.E funds (56.6%) and school fundraisings (23.3%) to facilitate disaster management preparedness; school stakeholders are partially involved in the budgetary process in their schools and they thus, lack awareness on how school funds are utilised (40%). Furthermore, the stakeholders lack adequate training (59.8%) to enlighten them on disaster management preparedness. The study recommends that all schools adapt an all inclusive and participatory approach on disaster management preparedness to ensure accountability and transparency. 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

The United Nations defined disasters as ‘A serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic and environmental loses which exceed the ability of the affected community/society to cope using its own resources, (UNDP). A disaster is therefore an event or series of events, which give rise to casualties and/or damage or loss of property, infrastructure, essential services or means of livelihoods on a scale which is beyond the normal capacity of the affected community to cope with unaided. This event or events disrupt the normal patterns of life (or ecosystem) and extraordinary emergency interventions are required to save and preserve human lives and/or the environment. Disasters can either be manmade or natural, and either of slow or rapid onset, Kikuvi (2011).

These disasters are thus a result of combination of hazard, vulnerability and insufficient capacity or measures to reduce the potential chances of risk. Since disasters are unexpected events that cause great damage or loss of life, they can either be natural or man-made. Natural disasters include floods, fires, high winds, earthquakes, and drought. Man-made disasters include terror attacks, nuclear accidents, urban fires, technological accidents, human trafficking, environmental degradation and other emerging disasters, National policy, (2009). Disaster preparedness can be defined as activities, programs and systems developed prior to a disaster that are used to support and enhance mitigation of response to, and recovery from disaster emergencies (NFPA 1600).

According to a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the United States of America preparedness is defined as the leadership, training, readiness and exercise support and technical and financial assistance to strengthen citizens, communities, states and local governments and professional emergency workers as they prepare for disasters, mitigate effects of disasters, respond to community needs after a disaster and launch effective recovery efforts. Disaster management aims to reduce or avoid the potential losses from hazards, assure prompt and appropriate assistance to victims of disaster and achieve rapid and effective recovery. It’s made up of disaster preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery. In the event of a school disaster, children are the most affected, schooling systems disrupted thus affecting a fundamental right of children, the right to education. Natural disasters affected millions of people in 2014. In China a 6.5 magnitude earthquakes hit Zhaotong in China’s Western Yunnan Province in August 3rd. the third of four earthquakes to rock the province that year. It killed over 600 people. Nearly 155,000 were displaced and 268 schools plus roads and infrastructure were destroyed, World Vision (2014).

In the same year, Nigerian government decided to postpone the opening of all public schools till October from July to give schools enough time to prepare all safety measures needed to guard against the spread of Ebola virus. Meanwhile, in Liberia schools re-opened in February 2015 after a seven month closure of all schools due to the Ebola outbreak, UNICEF (2014).

In February, the Boko Haram attacked Federal Government College in Yobe state and left 59 students’ dead and many more injured. The raiders stormed the dormitories and sprayed the students with bullets before setting the 24 buildings in the institution on fire. Two months later 279 girls were kidnapped in the town of Chibok in Borno state from school and taken into captivity. The Standard newspaper (2014). In Kenya, on 22 November 2014 Al-Shabaab terrorists hijacked a Nairobi bound bus and executed 28 people in a chilling dawn attack. Of those 22 were teachers of different schools in the border towns. Learning in Mandera, Garissa and Wajir has been adversely affected since teachers refused to report back to work due to the attack.

The teachers cite insecurity as one of the major issues that the government of Nigeria (GoN), Ministry of Education (MOE) and their employer the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) must address before they agree to return to work .The Standard newspaper (2015). Schools are an integral part of every society. They offer learning opportunities for students and employment for professionals in teaching, administration and support staff. Moreover they have other diverse uses like polling centres, meeting places, marking centres for national exams and even health centres. As a result, it’s critical that schools be made safe for the students. Teachers, support staff and other individuals or groups that use these institutions. Security is not thus, a stand-alone capability; it should be handled critically continually reviewed and scrutinized regularly. Guidance for standard operating procedures in response to different types of disasters and emergencies is a pre-requisite for localization at the school and local community level. By planning in advance and anticipating school disasters, schools can ensure that the decisions made by different stakeholders on the day of crisis are not only made quickly and effectively, but they will be correct and automatic responses arising from pre-planning for school disasters.

In the U.S.A various approaches are used in enhancing safety in schools. School wide policies are effected to systematically address, the needs of students, school personnel, the community and physical plans of the school. The United States Department of Education (USDE) requires safety policies to be adhered to strictly. This is in view of threats posed by terrorism, drug related violence, proliferation of firearms and natural disasters like floods, typhoons and hurricanes. Cavanagh (2004) in a report on schools’ response to the threat of terrorism notes that the implementation of schools safety and security in European countries has been influenced by tragedies. The September, 2004 school hostage crisis which led to the massacre of 320 children, teachers and parents at school Number One in Beslan, Russia led to the provision of military personnel to guard schools.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

School safety is an integral and indispensable component of the teaching and learning process. It is therefore important that educational stakeholders foster safe and secure school environment to facilitate learners’ environment, retention, completion and hence quality education, there is neither a coordinated policy framework nor a legal basis for the current disaster management system. What exists is partly a spontaneous system, which has assisted the Government and its development partners (the UN system and other relief agencies) to respond to disasters in the country. The Secretary General of Nigeria National Association of Parents said according to a report on disaster preparedness and security in schools carried out in 5,000 schools established that 96% of schools were prone to disasters. Respondents to the survey included teachers, support staff and parents, all of whom admitted that they had no capacity to deal with disasters and in general insecurity.  A recent attack on a school in Pakistan by Taliban gun men that left more than 132 children dead should be a wakeup call for our country’s security apparatus given the attack. This is because schools are among the least protected institutions in Nigeria, hence may come out as soft targets for terrorists. The Standard (2014). Despite the inclusion of disaster management in the M.O.E schools safety standards manual, disasters still face our schools. School managers are thus advised to be vigilant at all times. Available literature reveals that most schools have no capacity to handle disasters and are yet to implement the M.O.E schools safety standards and recommendations on what should be done in disaster management in secondary schools in Oshimiri North LGA of Delta State. It also sought to assist in averting any impending calamity; enhance disaster management in secondary schools for the safety of the learners, teachers and other stakeholders involved in the day to day running of the schools.

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