Community Engagement, Disaster Risk Reduction Management Practices, School Safety and Preparedness of Public Schools

Abstract

This study focused on community engagement, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) practices, and the level of school safety and preparedness in public schools in the Division of Bohol, Congressional District II. It explored the experiences and perceptions of stakeholders, examined how DRRM practices are implemented, and determined how these factors relate to school safety and preparedness. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative research through a convergent parallel mixed-method design. 300 school heads participated in a quantitative data survey through questionnaires. Semi-structured interviews were used with 15 sample participants (composed of both school heads and barangay captains/DRRM focal persons) to gain qualitative survey information. The qualitative data was analyzed thematically according to Braun & Clarke's framework, and the quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation). Results of the study indicated that schools show a general level of active community engagement and consistent implementation of DRRM practices across each of the four phases. The level of school safety and preparedness was also found to be high (WM = 3.29). Despite the existence of barriers to achieving total safety and preparedness (e.g., limited resources), these factors include the variation of social support systems, (lessening) the need for increased stakeholder input. Further correlation analyses indicated that the integration of DRR practices, community engagement and safety levels at schools (p < 0.001) yielded significant correlations. Therefore, this study recommends that stakeholders strengthen collaboration, provide frequent training/capacity-building opportunities, improve their current safety planning efforts, ensure adequate resources/technical support from the Department of Education, and conduct further research to confirm the results of this study and identify additional factors that may continue to promote long-term disaster resilience in schools.