Island School Leaders' Experiences of Resilience in Disaster-Prone Areas: A Development of a Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program Model
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11594/ijmaber.07.10.07Keywords:
Disaster preparedness, isaster risk reduction management, Educational resilience, Island schools, School leadershipAbstract
Disasters continue to disrupt education worldwide, but geographically isolated, disaster-prone island schools face challenges from recurring hazards, limited resources, and delayed external assistance. This study explored the experiences of school leaders in the island municipalities of Burdeos, Polillo, Panukulan, Patnanungan, and Jomalig (POGI) in managing disasters and sustaining educational continuity. Specifically, it examined the hazards and disruptions experienced by island schools, the preparedness and disaster response mechanisms employed by school heads, the strategies used to resume classes and support recovery, and the ways resilience is enacted and sustained before, during, and after disasters. The study employed a qualitative research design using interpretive phenomenology. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with ten purposively selected public elementary and secondary school heads and analyzed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method. The findings revealed that recurring typhoons, flooding, storm surges, earthquakes, and other environmental hazards disrupt school operations and learning continuity, particularly where outside assistance is delayed. School heads demonstrated proactive leadership through preparedness planning, communication systems, stakeholder coordination, adaptive learning strategies, and recovery initiatives. Resilience emerged through emotional regulation, accountability, leadership presence, empathy, adaptability, and commitment to service. The participants also highlighted the importance of local community partnerships, resource mobilization, learner support, and flexible educational approaches in sustaining school operations during and after disasters. Based on the findings, the I-HEART Resilience Model was developed as a context-specific Disaster Risk Reduction Management Program Model that may serve as a framework for strengthening disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and educational resilience in disaster-prone island schools.
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Data Availability Statement
The data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Due to ethical considerations and the need to protect participant confidentiality, interview transcripts and identifiable data are not publicly available.
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