How to Render Schools Safe in Developing Countries

Abstract The schools in seismic regions of developing countries, including Nepal, face huge risks from earthquakes. Significant proportions of school buildings were destroyed, and thousands of school children and teachers were killed or injured in recent earthquakes in different parts of the region. A recent study conducted by the National Society for Earthquake Technology—Nepal revealed that out of approximately 82,000 school buildings belonging to 34,000 private and public schools in Nepal, >75 percent are highly vulnerable to earthquakes, requiring immediate intervention; of these, 15 percent are dangerous to occupy and need demolition and reconstruction. In the case of intensity IX Modified Mercalli Intensity level of shaking, approximately 111,000 school population (10 percent of the total affected school population) could lose their lives, and another 85,000 could suffer serious injury. The main reasons behind the high vulnerability and risk of schools are due to (1) poor building construction practices resulting from the use of poor materials and construction technology, lack of skilled and trained construction manpower, and lack of proper supervision and quality control; (2) poor performance of nonstructural elements and systems; and (3) vulnerability caused by locational and physiographic factors. Lack of financial resources of the schools and lack of awareness and knowledge about the underlying risks and possibility of mitigation measures have been the root cause of this ever-increasing earthquake risk. To address this problem, Nepal has been implementing a School Earthquake Safety Program under the leadership of the Department of Education of the Government of Nepal. The program consists of assessment of seismic vulnerability of school buildings and systems; strengthening of buildings and nonstructural components; training and education of school children, teachers, and parents on aspects of earthquake safety; enhancing earthquake preparedness of schools; and training of local masons on safer earthquake construction technology. Promotion of locally available materials with improved technology, involvement of the community in all program activities, emphasis on awareness raising and capacity building, and transparency in all activities have been the key elements for the success of the program. The approaches adopted can be useful and replicable in other countries with similar building typologies, school management systems, and awareness levels; although the technical methods for addressing structural and nonstructural vulnerabilities may differ in different contexts.