Many children lost their lives in the Great East Japan Earthquake. It will soon be nine years since the disaster. It is vital to prepare to protect children in times of disaster.
After the disaster, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry compiled guidelines for a manual on disaster prevention in the event of an earthquake and tsunami, and has urged the preparation of such manuals. The manuals are meant to stipulate evacuation routes, the division of roles among teachers, and rules for handing over children to their parents.
Most public schools have developed manuals. Hazard maps have been improved in many areas, and schools that are located in areas expected to be inundated have begun to take serious measures against tsunami, such as confirming evacuation sites.
The disaster prevention systems at schools can be said to have been enhanced to some extent.
The Sendai High Court's ruling on a case involving the city-run Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, which was finalized last autumn, called for further improvements.
A total of 74 children and 10 faculty members died at the school, which was hit by the tsunami. Okawa Elementary School was located outside the expected inundation area on the city's hazard map, and the evacuation site was not clearly specified in the manual, so it took time to evacuate.
The ruling acknowledged the responsibility of the municipal and prefectural governments to pay compensation, saying the school had an obligation to question the hazard map from its own point of view and review the manual.
This is a harsh statement for school officials, but the court seems to have gravely viewed the responsibility of the school, which cares for the lives of children in the community.
Raising awareness vital
It is understandable that the education ministry asked boards of education nationwide to review manuals and other guidelines after the ruling was finalized. Schools are required to constantly check their disaster preparedness.
It is also important to raise awareness of disaster prevention among teachers.
In the event of a disaster, situations can occur that manuals did not envision. At such times, the decisions by on-site teachers must be relied on. Through training and other activities, each teacher must acquire the skills to analyze the situation and behave in an appropriate way to protect children.
With the mass retirement of teachers, there are more people who did not experience the disaster as teachers in disaster-hit areas. It is hoped that they will continue their efforts to carry on the lessons from the experience.
In preparation for a Nankai Trough earthquake, schools in Kochi, Mie and other prefectures frequently conduct evacuation drills without advance notice. The drills occur at a variety of times, such as during classes or breaks between classes.
In Tokyo, there is concern that an earthquake will directly strike the metropolitan area. Some junior high schools in the capital have a disaster prevention club as part of their extracurricular activities where students learn first-aid techniques together.
In case of emergency, you protect your own life. It is hoped children will be aware of this on a daily basis.
-- This article appeared in the print version of The Yomiuri Shimbun on March 9, 2020.
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