More than 1,000 school communities in Viet Nam enhance their capacity to prepare for and respond to environmental threats and disasters through ESD

Viet Nam is one of the countries most vulnerable to the impacts of natural disasters and climate change. Communities and individuals face a series of threats they need to adapt and react to. With over 23 million students and teachers, the Education Sector has a fundamental role in addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and disasters.

As a result of the 2014 ESD Initiative in Viet Nam MOET and UNESCO jointly developed the Assessment and Preparedness Toolkit enhancing the capacities of students, primary school teachers, school principals and administrators to prepare for and respond to environmental and other threats with the active participation of parents, community members and local authorities.

The Assessment and Preparedness Toolkit (in Vietnamese and English) promotes international standards and best practices by assisting education authorities at the central, provincial and local level, school principals, and teachers in ensuring quality education in the face of climate change and disaster-related challenges using a comprehensive approach to instill ownership for school safety and preparedness. The toolkit comprises:



I. The School Assessment Tool (SAT) for identifying and assessing risks and hazards that create an unsustainable or unsafe learning environment for students;

II. The School Preparedness Plan (SPP) guidelines for developing, through a participatory approach, actions to address the hazards and risks identified; 

III. Guidance on developing effective protocols which reinforce school safety;

IV. Educational activities to reinforce relevant messages for students inside and outside of the classroom as well as in the home and within the community.

Building upon the development of this toolkit and to ensure its dissemination and implementation in target schools across Viet Nam, the toolkit was distributed to more than 1000 schools with a focus on those in vulnerable and disadvantaged areas. Among the 1000 schools, a sample of 100 schools submitted their School Preparedness Plans including at least one protocol to MOET and UNESCO, in order to assess lessons learned as well as to develop specific recommendations and steps for further replication.

By the using the Toolkit’s SAT, SPP guidelines and educational activities the 100 School Preparedness Plans where proactively developed with the input of students, teachers, principals as well as community members, many of which have expressed an increased sense of awareness, confidence and safety.

Considering the success of this project thus far, it has contributed to Viet Nam’s implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly on Goal 4, target 4.7 “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote life-long learning opportunities for all” by ensuring learners acquire knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, and Goal 13, targets 13.1, 13.2, and 13.3, “Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”, by strengthening school and community awareness, resilience and adaptive capacity to address climate-related hazards and disasters. Additionally, the project also further integrates climate change measures into national education policy, strategy and planning.

The result of this analysis will be formalized through a report that will be used to further expand and improve the impact of the Assessment and Preparedness Toolkit as well as to ensure that schools are supported with the needed resources and follow up to continue updating and implementing their School Preparedness Plans and protocols.

For more information, please contact Ms. Christine Hanna, Programme Officer, at c.hanna@unesco.org