Ida Odinga has urged the national government to integrate disaster management into Kenya’s education system, saying preparedness must start early and be sustained, rather than activated only after a tragedy strikes. She argued that equipping learners with practical knowledge and response skills would save lives and strengthen community resilience.
Speaking in Bondo, Siaya County, during a visit with environmentalists and climate change experts, Ida noted that disasters cut across various settings, including roads, homes, schools, and lakes, and affect communities indiscriminately.
“Disaster management is a wide topic. We should not always wait for the disaster to happen to be able to look around for how we can manage it,” she said.
She highlighted the emergencies that routinely impact Kenyans, including road crashes, fires, landslides, earthquakes and flooding, which lead to loss of life and destruction of property, are universally devastating. “Disaster is a disaster,” she added, underscoring the need for a consistent, nationwide approach to preparedness.
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Pointing to the increased cases of road accidents on Kenyan roads and frequent tragedies on Lake Victoria, Ida said the prevalence of such incidents demonstrates the urgency of early and continuous education on risk awareness, prevention and response.
She argued that practical instruction, first aid, evacuation drills, hazard identification and community alert systems could significantly reduce casualties and improve outcomes when emergencies occur.
Ida appealed directly to MoE to integrate disaster management into the national curriculum at all levels, insisting it should be taught to every learner. “Disaster management should be a subject that is taught at all education levels, taught to everybody, so that children, as they grow up they know there can be a disaster and that disaster can be managed,” she said.
By Masaki Enock
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