Does your child know what to do in case of a medical emergency, or if there is a road accident? Now, the school education department plans to equip all children with a basic knowledge on how to deal with different kinds of crises.
From the next academic year, the department is working on a curriculum that will teach children the basics of disaster management. It will deal with both natural and man-made disasters, according to a senior official.
“Besides emergencies such as the Moulivakkam building collapse, the tsunami or the Kumbakkonam school fire, crises of lesser magnitude such as a medical condition or a road accident may be faced by children. Many children do not know how to cope with these situations,” the official said.
The disaster management module would be part of the social sciences curriculum, and will include practical as well as theory classes. Currently, the State Council for Education Research and Training is preparing a draft syllabus, which will then be presented to an expert committee.
“We have not yet finalised which class to introduce the module, but, we are discussing the option of tying up with outside players to develop and hone the lessons,” the official added.
