The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) underscored the importance of including disaster risk reduction in the basic education curriculum.
“The new generation is exposed to many disaster risks and experiences, particularly during typhoon Yolanda. It’s crucially important to help shape their thinking and preparedness towards natural disasters so they will be responsible and ready during emergencies,” JICA senior representative Takahiro Morita said.
JICA supported the national forum, “Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience in Education,” which was attended by 180 educators and representatives of government and non-government organizations this week.
This, after the Department of Education expressed its intention to include disaster risk reduction in the school curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 10 to boost disaster resiliency in the country.
JICA earlier supported the training of 72 public elementary school teachers on disaster risk reduction education for the pilot DRR program.
Six model schools participated in the training: Guinsay Elementary School and Beatriz D. Durano Memorial National High School in Danao City, Bogo Central I Elementary School and City of Bogo Science and Arts Academy in Bogo City and Daanbantayan Central Elementary School and Tapilon National High School in Daanbantayan in Cebu province.
JICA is an agency of the Japanese Government responsible for implementing the technical cooperation, grant aid and yen loan programs of Japan’s Official Development Assistance to developing countries such as the Philippines.
JICA is the world’s largest bilateral aid agency with about US$10.3 billion in financial resources.
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