Strengthening the preparedness and awareness of vulnerable communities for unanticipated calamities such as Tsunami is of paramount importance. With the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka, a project is being carried out to strengthen the school Tsunami preparedness in twenty eight (28) Tsunami prone schools, considered as highly vulnerable in the coastal belt of the Southern and Eastern provinces. This project is to be implemented by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) as a national programme, under the proposed pilot project of achieving “Tsunami Ready” status for Sri Lanka.
Under the guidance and advice of the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Major General (Retd.) Sudantha Ranasinghe, the first Training of Trainers (TOT) programme of the above mentioned project was held in September 2022, for the selected schools in the Southern province.
The second TOT programme under this project was held from 25th to 27th October 2022 at hotel East Lagoon, Batticaloa with the participation of nominated officers from the Ministry of Education – Eastern province which, included selected schools of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. Over forty participants representing senior officials of provincial and zonal categories of the Eastern province education sector, school principals, teachers along with the senior staff of the District Disaster Management Coordinating Units (DDMCUs), participated at this three day interactive TOT programme.
As the next step of this programme, the schools will be required to follow the Action plans developed during the training session to implement the Tsunami preparedness activities at the respective schools and also to ensure that the Tsunami drills/ exercise are carried out as planned.
Strengthening school preparedness for Tsunamis in the Southern and Eastern Province
Strengthening the preparedness and awareness of vulnerable communities for unanticipated calamities such as Tsunami is of paramount importance. With the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Sri Lanka, a project is being carried out to strengthen the school Tsunami preparedness in twenty eight (28) Tsunami prone schools, considered as highly vulnerable in the coastal belt of the Southern and Eastern provinces. This project is to be implemented by the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) as a national programme, under the proposed pilot project of achieving “Tsunami Ready” status for Sri Lanka.
Under the guidance and advice of the Director General of the Disaster Management Centre, Major General (Retd.) Sudantha Ranasinghe, the first Training of Trainers (TOT) programme of the above mentioned project was held in September 2022, for the selected schools in the Southern province.
The second TOT programme under this project was held from 25th to 27th October 2022 at hotel East Lagoon, Batticaloa with the participation of nominated officers from the Ministry of Education – Eastern province which, included selected schools of Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee districts. Over forty participants representing senior officials of provincial and zonal categories of the Eastern province education sector, school principals, teachers along with the senior staff of the District Disaster Management Coordinating Units (DDMCUs), participated at this three day interactive TOT programme.
As the next step of this programme, the schools will be required to follow the Action plans developed during the training session to implement the Tsunami preparedness activities at the respective schools and also to ensure that the Tsunami drills/ exercise are carried out as planned.