From handling bee stings to bullying and sexual harassment and controlling fire outbreaks and other hazards on school campuses, around 100 children from 20 city schools would be exposed to disaster mitigation and management measures shortly.
The Kerala State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA) , in association with Illuminare Academy of Behavioural Sciences and Justice Brigade, will launch Mission Safe School (MSS) in select 20 schools on August 23.
Safety audits including the structural and non-structural aspects of all the participating schools have been planned.
Training will be given to teams consisting of five students, a teacher and a non-teaching staff from the participating schools in the first phase. These students will further train their schoolmates. Students from Class 8 are being trained as the trainers, said Aneesh Gurudas, a safety management expert.
C.K. Abdul Rehim, Judge, Kerala High Court, will inaugurate the programme at Najath Public School, Kalamassery, on August 23.
K.T. Nizar Ahamed, member secretary, KSLSA; Saleena V.G. Nair, secretary, District Legal Services Authority, and V.P. Mini, Deputy Director of Education, Ernakulam, will attend.
Competency
The programme will look into various aspects of safety, risk, school safety and disaster risk reduction and help in developing competency among students to lead and implement MSS in their respective schools.
The students will also develop school-specific safety plans, according to the organisers.
School Safety Committees will be formed in the process with a senior teacher serving as the apex safety coordinator.
The unsafe incidents reported in and around the schools will be discussed in the committee meetings and risk mitigating measures taken.
In the structural and non-structural safety aspects, the safety of the school buildings will be audited. A comprehensive risk assessment programme for the entire school will be carried out by the safety team of the school.
The participants will also be given training in fire safety, search and rescue techniques, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. They will also be equipped to handle various emergency situations and safety evacuations.
Mock drills will also be part of the exercise, the organisers said.
