What are the key competencies and skills that disaster risk education should develop and assess?

Based on my experience, the key competencies and skills that disaster risk education (DRE) should develop and assess include: Risk Awareness: Understanding the types of disasters that can occur in a specific region, their causes, and potential impacts. Preparedness: Knowing how to prepare for disasters, including developing emergency plans, assembling emergency kits, and understanding evacuation procedures. Response: Knowing how to respond during a disaster, including first aid, search and rescue techniques, and communication strategies. Recovery: Understanding the recovery process after a disaster, including accessing resources and support services. Resilience: Developing the ability to bounce back from disasters

One should get familiar with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030) which is developed by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). This framework outlines global priorities and guiding principles for disaster risk reduction.

Understanding disaster risk reduction is crucial, and the Sendai Framework (2015-2030) by the UN is a great place to start. It lays out key global priorities and principles for reducing disaster risks.

Four key principles should guide the DRE curriculum to ensure effective disaster risk reduction: inclusivity, multi-hazard approach, integrating risk reduction with sustainable development, and collaboration.

Based on my knowledge, a comprehensive Disaster Risk Education (DRE) curriculum should include the following components: Introduction to Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): An overview of DRR concepts, including the importance of preparedness, mitigation, and resilience. Risk Assessment: How to assess and analyze disaster risks, including hazard mapping, vulnerability assessment, and capacity analysis. Disaster Preparedness: Strategies for preparing individuals and communities for disasters, including emergency planning, evacuation procedures, and the assembly of emergency kits. Disaster Response: Training on how to respond effectively during disasters, including first aid, search and rescue techniques, and communication strategies.

The DRE curriculum should have these 4 guiding principles that inform disaster risk reduction efforts, are 1) Inclusivity, 2) Multi-hazard approach, 3) Integration of risk reduction into sustainable development, and 4) Partnership and collaboration. Work with a GESI (Gender equality and Social Inclusion) expert on the ground for inclusivity.

Based on my experience, effective Disaster Risk Education (DRE) pedagogy should be learner-centered, participatory, and experiential. Here's how it can be structured: Learner-Centered Approach: Tailoring the education to the needs, interests, and abilities of the learners. This involves understanding the context in which they live and their prior knowledge and experiences related to disasters. Participatory Learning: Engaging learners actively in the learning process through discussions, group work, role-plays, and other interactive activities. This helps to promote critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Experiential Learning: Providing opportunities for learners to learn through direct experience, reflection, and experimentation.

Imagine DRE that sparks change, not just checks boxes! By visiting communities impacted by disasters, students connect theory to lived experiences. The collective voice and stories resonate far deeper than textbooks ever could.

For Disaster Risk Education (DRE) pedagogy, other than developing and assessing key competencies, it should also be transformative and have site visits to the community which have been affected by disasters. Theory can never replace the collective experience and stories of the community.

Assessing Disaster Risk Education (DRE) involves evaluating the effectiveness of the education in achieving its objectives and outcomes. Here are key aspects to consider in DRE assessment: Learning Outcomes: Assess whether learners have achieved the desired knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to disaster risk reduction (DRR). This can be done through written tests, practical exercises, and observations. Behavioral Change: Evaluate whether the education has led to changes in behavior and practices related to DRR. Community Impact: Assess the impact of DRE on the wider community, resilience, preparedness, and response to disasters. Feedback from Learners: Gather feedback from learners on their experience of the education,

Ensuring the quality of Disaster Risk Education (DRE) is essential for its effectiveness in building resilience to disasters. Relevance: DRE should be relevant to the context and needs of the target audience Accuracy: Information presented in DRE should be accurate, up-to-date, and based on scientific evidence and best practices in disaster risk reduction (DRR). Accessibility: DRE should be accessible to all members of the community, including those with disabilities, language barriers, or limited access to education. Engagement: DRE should be engaging and interactive, using participatory methods that actively involve learners in the learning process. Cultural Sensitivity: DRE should be culturally sensitive

The DRE should have evaluation and continuous Improvement by establishing mechanisms for evaluating the effectiveness of the DRE program. This will encourage continuous improvement based on feedback and lessons learned. A lot can be learnt from recent disaster events and how disaster risk was reduced through the communities' responses.

4 global priorities for action to reduce disaster risk and enhance resilience are 1) Understanding disaster risk, 2) Strengthen governance to manage risk, 3) Invest in DRR for resilience and 4) Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response. These are areas that have growing needs and where there are opportunities in tackling.

Disaster risk education must embrace emerging topics like impact-based forecasting and anticipatory action. This means developing skills to interpret forecast information effectively, understanding its implications, and proactively taking anticipatory measures based on forecasts. Competencies should extend to utilizing advanced forecasting tools and critical thinking to assess and respond to evolving disaster scenarios. Assessments should incorporate these emerging topics, ensuring individuals are equipped to navigate the dynamic landscape of disaster risk reduction.

There should be sound business models that fund the program. If there is no finance to fund the programme, the whole programme can have an abrupt exit causing more harm than benefit to the community. This actually occurred during one of the projects I was working on. International adaptation finance flows to developing countries is 10 to 18 times below estimated needs, and the gap is widening. Learning business models for DRE is required.