From Knowledge to Practice: The Current Status of Disaster Risk Reduction Education in Coastal Bangladesh

Abstract

A large amount of studies has been produced on disaster domain over the last decades. Many of previous studies have focused on the disaster risk reduction (DRR) related issues, yet there are gaps to focus on translating DRR knowledge into practice at the ground. Considering this gap, this study aims to explore the existing DRR education programs and its dissemination process to the community; reveal how coastal households practise DRR knowledge; and identify possible ways to strengthen DRR education programs. Findings show that government and NGOs have taken a good number of DRR education programs e.g. legal frameworks, public awareness, risk assessment and vulnerability mapping etc. They used several processes (e.g. training, workshop, group meeting, media etc.) to disseminate DRR knowledge to the cyclone affected communities. Majority of the households received DRR knowledge from the informal sources e.g. Union Parishad, NGO, media, family, neighbours, friends and voluntary organizations. The local community learned many issues on disaster preparedness and mitigation from the various formal and informal sources. The households practised the learned knowledge in various ways at the before and during disaster stages. However, a gap was found between achieved and practiced knowledge. This gap is due to a lack of technological and financial support, corruption and favoritism, lack of coordination, traditional attitude of local people, top-down approach of government and a gap between local and scientific knowledge. This study suggests that informal knowledge sources should be strengthened and tagged them with the mainstream sources of DRR knowledge. Besides, informal knowledge sources should be institutionalized through the effective intervention of government. At the same time, formal sources such as textbook, and formal education should be more focused on DRR issues. This study also argues that participatory-based training and workshop, role of local government and religious institutions, technological and financial support and bottom-up approach should be amplified for strengthening the initiatives of DRR education and its practice at the community level.