Fiji should expect and be prepared for more frequent and intense disaster events similar to TC Winston.
This was highlighted by the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Disaster Management & Meteorological Services, Hon. Jone Usamate, while officiating at the Stakeholders Meeting on School Disaster Risk Reduction & Resilience Building today in Suva.
Disaster is everybody’s business and we all must have an important role to play,” Minister Usamate said.
“Our collective effort is important in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children during any disaster event.”
The purpose of the workshop was to review the Ministry of Education’s Disaster Risk Reduction handbook.
“The disaster risk reduction manual or handbook will assist school administrators, school managements, school teachers and school communities, with information needed to reduce risk and make schools safer,” Minister Usamate said.
“This is an important document because it provides the standard operating procedure (SOP) for ensuring the safety of our school children during disaster events.”
He added that Government is working towards reducing disaster mortality by 2030 as stipulated under the Sendai Framework.
“The development and review of the Ministry of Education Disaster Risk Reduction handbook today contributes towards the achievement of this goal,” he further added.
The workshop was attended by senior government officials, education officials and Non-governmental organizations.