Key elements of disaster mitigation education in inclusive school setting in the Indonesian context
Abstract
Children with special needs are one of the most vulnerable groups when disasters occur. They
are often excluded from any risk reduction conducted during such situations; therefore,
introducing disaster mitigation education at the early stage has numerous benefits. This study
aims to explore the critical elements of disaster mitigation education, limiting the scope to
primary schools in an inclusive setting in Yogyakarta. A qualitative methodology involving
focus group discussions and interviews was applied for in-depth exploration and insight into
stakeholders’ perspectives on education. This study identified six key elements of inclusive
disaster mitigation education in schools: (1) strong initiative to conduct self-initiated disaster
risk reduction (DRR) education for all students; (2) modification of infrastructure and learning
environment to accommodate children with special needs and other students; (3) broadening
learning methods in DRR; (4) child empowerment and meaningful participation; (5) school
management awareness and strategies for conducting DRR; (6) extensive stakeholder
involvement within disaster mitigation education. These elements are expected to improve
implementation of such programmes, thereby increasing the quality and accessibility of
children’s disaster mitigation education, as well as increasing their capacity in the risk
reduction process through teacher support.