After the Centre issued guidelines to all schools to train students in disaster management, numerous city schools have started imparting lessons on the subject. However, for the UT education department, it seems the guidelines issued by the Centre are not as important.
The department is yet to start a programme on the subject, though the condition of government schools in the city's periphery is poor.
While the walls of such schools are broken, ceilings have developed cracks. The education department, however, is not interested in training students in disaster management. "No. Our school has not taught us any such thing. All I know is that I have save myself in case of a calamity," Sanju, a student of the Government High School in Bhelana, said.
Private schools have started carrying out mock drills and teaching students about the basics of disaster management. Aruna Bhardwaj, the principal of Gurukul Global School in Manimajra, said they had conducted mock drill last week. "It is important to train children in disaster management," she said. "Because, though reading books helps, practical training is a lot different."
Apart from a handful of government schools, which have organised mock drills, no curriculum has been prepared by the schools. "There is a need to teach government school children in disaster management as nothing has been done to improve the infrastructure in government schools in the city's periphery, ," said the principal of a government school on the outskirts of the city on the condition of anonymity.
Students and parent feel that schools should take the initiative of teaching children how to act when calamity strikes. The UT administration has planned a mega mock drill for February 13 and has invited residents to be a part of it.
Apart from a handful of government schools, which have organised mock drills, no curriculum has been prepared by the schools. "There is a need to teach government school children in disaster management as nothing has been done to improve the infrastructure in government schools in the city's periphery, ," said the principal of a government school on the outskirts of the city on the condition of anonymity.
Students and parent feel that schools should take the initiative of teaching children how to act when calamity strikes. The UT administration has planned a mega mock drill for February 13 and has invited residents to be a part of it.
"When the administration is taking the initiative to conduct mock drills, why are schools falling?" questioned Rakesh Mehta, whose child studies in a government school.