Multi-Dimensional Flood Resilience Assessment of Public and Private High Schools. A Case Study of District Swat, Pakistan

Abstract

The history of flooding in developing countries demonstrates that educational institutions have been disproportionately affected by devastating floods. Schools have an obligation to safeguard students during emergencies and to encourage a preparedness culture by making them prepared and ready. Additionally, schools are crucial in building society's overall resilience to hazards and disasters. In this regard, this study aims to evaluate the flood resilience of public and private high schools’ structural, non-structural, and functional resilience in the very vulnerable district of Swat, Pakistan, in recognition of the necessity to enhance resilience for disasters in the education sector. Data were collected for 45 variables from 60 (30 public and 30 private) high schools that were chosen at random. After identifying resilience indicators, the composite values of the three resilience dimensions were obtained using an index-based methodology. Correlations between the dimensions and indicators were also checked in the current study. The gathered data is analyzed using descriptive statistics in the study, and a chi-square value and P-value are examined to determine how the variables of three separate dimensions are correlated. The study's conclusions demonstrate that private schools are more resilient than public schools. Moreover, within the public sector schools, several aspects require enhancement, including the number of storeys, presence of landlines, internet facility, financial support from external donors, plans to share with parents, drill report sharing with stakeholders, identification of specific items, procedures, and protocols for drills, identification of drills months and hazard and vulnerability analysis. While in the Private sector, attention must be given to areas like Side Spaces, the presence of landlines, financial support from external donors, SOPs on Evacuation, Safety, First Aid and Search and Rescue, Drill Report Sharing with Stakeholders, Event Management/Policy Making Team and Identification of Specific items, procedures, and protocols for Drills.