Pandemic Planning in Schools (February 2008) : 01/02/2008

Executive summary

ERO evaluated the quality of pandemic planning in 230 schools (nearly a tenth of all state schools in New Zealand) during Terms 2 and 3, 2007. Information for this evaluation was collected in the course of the schools' regular education reviews.

ERO investigated how prepared schools were for a potential influenza pandemic, and identified specific actions schols have taken to prepare for a pandemic.

Almost all schools involved in this study were taking some steps to prepare for a pandemic, and 25 percent were well prepared. Nine percent of schools had yet to take any steps to prepare.

Issues that schools cited as barriers to becoming fully prepared included:

a lack of clear communication, information and/or guidance from the local Public Health Unit (PHU) or the Ministry of Education.
Uncertainty about who would pay for required supplies;
difficulty for some schools in obtaining pandemic kits; and
lack of medical services in the local area, especially for rural schools.

Rural schools were finding it more difficult than others to prepare for a possible pandemic. These schools may require additional support and encouragement to become well prepared.

To improve their preparedness for a potential influenza pandemic, ERO recommends that schools focus on:

informing relevant groups and their community about the school's pandemic plan and how they can help;
clarifying the school's role in local response plans; and
using an established cluster of schools as a single point of contact to liaise with their local PHU emergency planner.

To support schools in their preparations for a potential influenza pandemic, ERO recommends that PHUs focus on: