Launch meeting for Comprehensive Disaster Management Project for the Education Sector

  The Comprehensive Disaster Management Project for the Education Sector is an 18 month project funded by DiPECHO. The Principle objective of the project is to make children, schools and communities resilient to the impacts of disasters in Bhutan. The three key result areas of the project are: Result 1: Enhanced DRM coordination and improved integration of DRM concerns and processes within the education sector

Result 2: School and community DRR plan linkages strengthened and integration of School and District Disaster Management plans into annual and five year development process and plans facilitated

Result 3: A monastic school Disaster Risk Management programme that increases the knowledge and practice of children, nuns and monks on disaster preparedness is initiated in Bhutan

The Launch meeting for Comprehensive Disaster Management Project for the Education Sector was conducted on the 30^th of April 2015 at Hotel Druk. The meeting was chaired by the Hon’ble Secretary, Ministry of Education (MoE) and was also attended by the Hon’ble Secretary of Dratshang Lhentshog and the Director General of the Department of School Education (DSE). Other attendees included the Chief Program Officer of the Department of Disaster Management (DDM), focal officers from the DSE, Paro Dzongkhag, Central Monastic Body, Dratshang Lhentshog, Gross National Happiness Commission (GNHC), SCN Awards grant Manager, and representatives from FSD (RBP), UNDP and UNICEF.

After the introductory address by the National Director, an overview of the program was presented jointly by the implementing partners (DDM, DSE and Central Monastic Body, Dratshang) and Save the Children (SCI).  The project team presented the objectives of the project and the broad activities to be implemented under each result area.

Result Area 1, which is more at the national level and directly relevant to the education sector will be led and implemented by the DSE. Result Area 2, which will include the conduct and documentation of the community based disaster risk management process and integration into annual and five year development plans, will be implemented by the Paro Dzongkhag Administration with support and guidance from the DDM. Result Area 3 will be implemented by the Central Monastic Body, Dratshang Lhentshog and will include the formulation, adoption and piloting of a monastic institution based disaster risk management program.

The meeting discussed that all three result areas were inter-linked, cohesive and ultimately contributed to the principle objective of “building disaster resilience” for children and young people in Bhutan. It was discussed that all implementing partners would have to work in close cooperation and DDM, as the national coordinating agency should provide the required technical assistance and facilitation support for all the three result areas.

The Hon’ble Secretaries of the Ministry of Education and Dratshang Lhentshog and representatives from the DDM and the Paro Dzongkhag Administration expressed their support and cooperation in implementing the project and felt that the project’s objectives and activities were timely and relevant.