Gujarat: School safety week inaugurated in primary schools
Gandhinagar, Jan 27
The Gujarat State Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday launched the 2026 edition of "School Safety Week" across all government primary schools in the state, with the programme being launched on Tuesday through BISAG's Vande Gujarat Channel.
The week-long initiative aims to familiarise schoolchildren with disaster preparedness and safety measures to reduce risks during emergencies.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel formally inaugurated the programme through a video message, underlining the importance of early awareness among children.
State Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management Sanjaysinh Mahida also addressed students and teachers through a video message, offering guidance on disaster management practices.
As part of School Safety Week, a series of educational and practical activities will be conducted over seven days in primary schools across Gujarat.
These include awareness sessions using charts, posters and IEC audio-visual materials, explanations of potential hazards such as floods, fires, accidents and earthquakes, and competitions including essay writing, drawing and speech.
The programme also features demonstrations on search and rescue, basic first aid training and mock drills to help students understand emergency response procedures.
At the BISAG studio, Additional Chief Secretary of the Revenue Department Jayanti Ravi addressed students from across the state and guided promoting disaster awareness at the district and school levels.
Ravi said preparedness and regular practice were key to minimising the impact of disasters and stressed the need for schools to integrate safety education into everyday learning.
The programme was viewed live through the Vande Gujarat Channel by the Director of GSDMA, officials from the Education Department, as well as students, teachers and principals from primary schools across the state.
The Gujarat government has been organising the Gujarat School Safety Programme annually since 2015 to strengthen disaster preparedness among schoolchildren.
Following lessons drawn from past natural disasters in the state. The initiative was designed to systematically build disaster awareness and response skills among schoolchildren across the state.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good step by Gujarat govt. But I hope this is not just a one-week "tamasha". Safety education needs to be a continuous part of the curriculum, not just charts and speeches for a week. Regular drills every month would be more effective.
First aid training for school kids is brilliant. These are life skills. Wish we had this when I was in school. Hope they cover private schools as well.
As someone who has worked in disaster management, I'm impressed by the systematic approach since 2015. Using the Vande Gujarat Channel for a statewide launch is smart for reach. The focus on 'regular practice' is the key takeaway here.
Very good. After seeing the recent floods in some parts, this preparedness is essential. Children can also teach their parents at home. Safety culture should start young. Gujarat leading the way again!
I appreciate the effort, but is the infrastructure in these primary schools actually safe? What about buildings in rural areas? Awareness is one thing, but we need to audit and upgrade school buildings themselves. That's equally important.
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