Windhoek
Nineteen primary and secondary schools in Windhoek were recently tested on their knowledge, level of preparedness and understanding of disaster risk management issues.
Following the battle of wits, Suiderhof Primary School and Jan Mohr Secondary School were declared the winners of the Disaster Risk Management School Quiz in the primary and secondary schools categories, respectively. Both walked away with trophies, medals and other goodies.
Claudia Beukes and Sanna Kooper, who were representing Jan Möhr, couldn’t contain their excitement when declared the winners in the secondary school category. “We didn’t expect this, because the quiz was very challenging but with teamwork we managed to pull it off,” Beukes said.
“We’re just too excited. This quiz and the overall initiative taught us many things, like how to manage and prepare ourselves during a disaster or an emergency. It was really worth
it,” Kooper said.
The Disaster Risk Management School initiative was introduced in 2004, to ensure that schools are better prepared for emergencies or disasters that may affect them at any given time.
One of the second place winners from MH Greef Primary School, Justin van Rooyen, says even though they did not win first place, they learnt a lot from the initiative. “We’re not first, but we still winners. We feel proud of ourselves to accomplish this. We did an excellent job, as this is the first time we are participating. Other schools were competitive, but at least we all gained something,” says van Rooyen.
The quiz is an initiative of the City of Windhoek, recognising that school awareness is most crucial in disaster risk reduction, as it enhances pro-activeness among learners and thus inculcates resilience in future communities.
None went home empty-handed, as all schools that participated in the initiative were given certificates of participation.