School disaster risk index launched to strengthen resilience

Colombo, Sept. 14 (Daily Mirror) - The Disaster Management Centre (DMC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, has released the first version of the School Disaster Risk Index, a comprehensive tool designed to strengthen resilience in Sri Lanka’s education sector.

The index addresses major natural hazards—including floods, droughts, landslides, tsunamis, severe winds, lightning, and storm surges—across all public schools in the country. It is expected to guide risk-sensitive investment and resource allocation by enabling prioritization based on the level of risk.

Officials said the initiative highlights the importance of integrating Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) into education and underscores the shared responsibility of fostering a culture of safety in schools. The effort is aligned with international and national frameworks, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015–2030), and Sri Lanka’s National Disaster Management Plan.

Sri Lanka’s free education system currently comprises 10,155 government schools—373 National Schools and 9,782 Provincial Schools—serving 4.2 million students with 235,924 teachers. With the introduction of the Provincial Council system in the 1980s, most schools came under local government management, while historic institutions remained under central administration.

The launch of the School Disaster Risk Profile is considered a milestone in ensuring Sri Lankan schools are better prepared to safeguard the nation’s most valuable resource—its children.

Experts claimed that creating a safe and secure school environment not only protects teachers, staff, and students but also contributes to academic achievement, personal development, and overall well-being.