Education in natural disasters

The impact of natural disasters on education can be devastating, and each context presents different challenges. Schools are destroyed, educational infrastructure damaged, teachers and students displaced, and informational material lost. Following natural disasters, restoring educational services is paramount, as it has been proven to provide critical lifesaving and life sustaining assistance for children.

Educational response can occur in a range of phases, including the preparedness, relief, and recovery phases.

• Any response requires a well-coordinated, multi-sector, inter- and intra-agency approach that empowers communities and nations, from relief and recovery on to development.

• Traditional relief efforts, including search and rescue, health, food, and shelter, are increasingly complemented by what is now known as the “fourth pillar” of humanitarian aid—education.

• The aftermath of natural disasters provides an opportunity to better address inequities related to education that existed prior to the event, be they related to gender, disability, ethnicity, or religion.

• We should not wait until there is a disaster to begin planning. Some of the most important work begins early, and we can do a great deal in the education sector to support preparedness and emergency planning at the national, regional or local level, as well as by supporting disaster risk reduction activities in schools.

Adapted from:

De Marcken, N. (2014). Guide to education in natural disasters: How USAID supports education in crises. Retrieved from: https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2155/Natural%20Disasters%20Report%20FINAL.pdf

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