School safety week inaugurated in Gujarat primary schools

Gandhinagar, Jan 27 (IANS): 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)

This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.