Kerala’s weather-risk programme for higher-secondary students shows how schools can contribute to community preparedness. Students are being trained to use GIS, weather data and disaster maps to understand the hazards around their own campuses.
That local approach matters in a state where flood plains, fragile slopes, drought and heat create different risks in different districts.
The information should feed into evacuation routes, drainage maintenance, emergency contacts and school construction decisions. It can also help families understand why a warning applies differently from one locality to another.
Training is only the first step. Authorities need to update maps, fund corrective work and include students and teachers in regular safety reviews.