Patna: In a move aimed at building disaster resilience from the grassroots level, the Bihar government is set to roll out a special safety training programme for students of government-run secondary and higher secondary schools. Under the banner of “Mukhya Mantri Vidyalaya Suraksha Karyakram”, the initiative will see weekly safety drills and skill sessions for students every Saturday — to be known as “Surakshit Shanivar” (Safe Saturday).
The programme will begin on June 30, 2025, with teacher training sessions at Chandragupt Institute of Management, Patna (CIMP).
Training the Trainers: One “Focal Teacher” per School
To ensure the effective rollout of the programme, one teacher from each secondary and higher secondary school will be designated as a “focal teacher”, responsible for conducting disaster preparedness sessions. These selected teachers will undergo a two-day residential training at the state level. Training will be conducted in batches of 150 teachers each and continue until September 26, 2025, with additional phases planned for remaining educators.
The training aims to equip these teachers with practical life-saving skills to help students respond to emergencies like earthquakes, fires, floods, and other natural or man-made disasters.
Building Awareness Among Students and Communities
The programme is designed not only to empower students but also to turn them into agents of awareness within their families and communities. Weekly “Surakshit Shanivar” sessions will be held for students of classes VIII and IX, teaching them how to protect themselves and others during disasters.
These trained students are expected to spread the message of disaster safety within their neighbourhoods, ensuring a ripple effect of preparedness across society.
Back with a Stronger Focus Post-COVID
Originally launched during the 2018–19 academic year, the disaster preparedness initiative was temporarily suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current re-launch comes with a renewed focus, now including secondary and higher secondary students, beyond the earlier focus on primary and middle school children.
Leadership and Implementation
The programme is being implemented by the Bihar Education Project Council (BEPC), Patna, under the guidance of State Project Director Mayank Warwade. Directions have been issued to all District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Programme Officers (DPOs) to ensure full participation and monitoring at the district level.
