Emergency Assist 991 to hold a capacity building workshop for Star Rating for Schools

Emergency Assist 991 is set to hold a capacity building workshop (12-16 February) to help train District Road Safety Committees on the Star Rating for Schools Programme.

The decision was made during a high-level meeting in Gaborone.

The workshop is part of Emergency Assist 991’s national SR4S rollout. The FIA-backed programme helps schools to map and improve local road safety infrastructure, as well as education and awareness campaigns. In Botswana, the programme will play a key role in tackling the high rates of road traffic accidents, with WHO data shows that road traffic deaths in Africa have risen 17% since 2010.

The project has already achieved a significant impact. In 2019, it was implemented in three schools across Gaborone. Since those interventions were put in place, there have been no known road traffic accidents in that area involving school pupils.

This year, Emergency Assist 991 are aiming to assess 3 more primary schools, and provide safety posters and merchandise, traffic calming measures, and advocacy and key user training for teachers and local NGOs. 

A spokesperson for Emergency Assist Botswana said: “By embracing the Star Rating for Schools methodology, road infrastructure improvements, and integrating culturally sensitive safety education within the curriculum, this advocacy and implementation project will create safer environments for children in Botswana‘s schools.”

The project is supported by the FIA Foundation and the FIA Road Safety Grant programme.