Enhancing the Integration of DRRM Education in the Curriculum: A Framework for Disaster-Resilient Schools

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRRM) education is increasingly recognized as essential in cultivating disaster-resilient school communities, particularly in disaster-prone regions such as the Philippines. This study examines the current status, challenges, and opportunities of integrating DRRM concepts within the basic education curriculum of public schools in Argao, Cebu. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research encompassed curriculum analysis, surveys of 100 teachers, and interviews with school heads to assess instructional resources, teacher preparedness, and school-community collaboration. The findings reveal significant gaps: most teachers lack DRRM-specific training, instructional materials and experiential learning resources are insufficient, and school-community partnerships remain inconsistent. Despite policy support from the Department of Education and alignment with international frameworks like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and UNESCO’s Education for Sustainable Development, DRRM education is often fragmented, reactive, and marginalized within existing curricula. However, there is high willingness among educators to enhance their capacity, provided targeted training and localized educational resources are made available. To address these gaps, this study proposes a comprehensive DRRM integration framework anchored on a whole-school approach, interdisciplinary curriculum infusion, development of contextually relevant instructional materials, and strengthened school-community partnerships. The framework emphasizes continuous teacher professional development, policy support, and the institutionalization of DRRM as an enduring aspect of educational practice. By bridging policy and practice, the research offers actionable recommendations to empower educators and students with the knowledge, skills, and proactive mindset necessary for disaster risk reduction. This work contributes to educational reform for safer, more resilient school environments and provides a model adaptable to other disaster-prone, resource-constrained contexts.