Patna: Disaster management education in Bihar’s government schools is set to take a more interactive turn, with students learning safety lessons through video games alongside their regular academic curriculum.
Under new guidelines issued as part of the Chief Minister’s School Safety Programme, a special lightning safety video game will be installed in the computer or ICT labs of all government schools. The game, developed by the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority, aims to teach children how to protect themselves during lightning strikes and other emergencies.
A mobile application linked to the game has also been launched, which teachers and parents will be required to install on their phones. Schools will draw up a schedule for students to play the game in ICT labs, ensuring the training is delivered in a structured and regular manner.
Communicating the new directives, Naveen Kumar, state project director of the Bihar Education Project Council, has written to all district education officers, calling for immediate implementation of the measures.
The guidelines mandate the formation of a disaster management committee in every school, along with the selection and training of focal teachers and child motivators. Schools will also be required to review and update their disaster management plans on a regular basis.
At the district level, monitoring committees must hold regular meetings under the chairmanship of the district magistrate, with the district education officer serving as member secretary. Disaster preparedness will also become a standing agenda item in monthly coordination meetings.
Schools have been instructed to display an announcement board at their main gate declaring their preparedness for disaster prevention. Awareness activities, including the distribution of booklets for focal teachers and the organisation of competitions for students, have also been made compulsory.
All activities carried out under the programme will need to be documented and uploaded to the e-Shiksha Kosh portal. For support and coordination, officials have been advised to contact the BEPC’s state programme officer, Dr Uday Kumar Ujjwal, or the disaster management authority’s senior adviser, Dr Ashok Kumar Sharma.
Officials said the initiative is intended to build a culture of preparedness among students while integrating disaster awareness into everyday school life, using technology to make learning both effective and engaging.
