The government of Malawi is all set to make its education sector disaster resilient. In support of this, Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC) and the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma), have organized, a two-week training on mainstreaming disaster risk management in education. The training is underway at the Malawi University of Science and Technology.

Mr. Aslam Perwaiz, ADPC’s Deputy Executive Director, called for more investments in disaster risk management in Malawi while speaking at the opening ceremony of the training. “The problem with many countries, Malawi inclusive, lies in the implementation of policies and incentives. Malawi can do better in managing disaster if it can invest more in pre-disaster preparedness. The government should not act when, and only when, disasters strike. When the academia integrates disaster and risk in the curricular, more people will be aware of prevention measures,” he stated.

The government called for integrating disaster risk management in school curricula to promote disaster mitigation. Through the initiative, Dodma is aiming to enhance community involvement in disaster risk reduction (DRR). “People think it’s absolutely DODMA’s duty to deal with disaster issues but that is not the case. Everybody has to be involved,” highlighted Wilson Moleni, Ministry of Homeland Security Principal Secretary.

Leonard Kalindekafe, the Executive Dean of the Ndata School of Climate Change at Malawi University of Science and Technology flashed the benefits of the training. “The training was essential as it would promote information-sharing among stakeholders,” he said.

The training supports Malawi’s Flood Recovery Project, a four-year project that is aiming to reconstruct infrastructure and build agricultural sustainability to support the livelihood of flood-affected districts of Malawi.