Empowering flood preparedness: Enhancing flood knowledge, risk perception, and preparedness among primary school learners in flood-affected southern Thailand

Abstract

The increasing frequency and severity of floods owing to climate change particularly affect children, making enhanced preparedness strategies essential for mitigating their impact. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of local topography maps on flood knowledge, flood risk perception (FRP), and flood preparedness (FP) among elementary school students aged 11–12 in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand. A quasi-experimental design was employed, with 150 students divided into an experimental group (n = 75) and a control group (n = 75). The intervention comprised a flood education programme incorporating discussions, workshops, slide presentations, and interactive teaching methods to enhance students' knowledge, FRP, and FP. Data were collected via questionnaires at three-time points: pre-test (T₀), post-test (T₁), and follow-up (T₂) between August and October 2023. Statistical analyses included t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, ANOVA, and the Friedman test. The results indicated that the flood education programme significantly improved students' preparedness, though no significant differences in flood risk perception were observed between groups. The intervention highlighted the need to enhance students' understanding of local topography and flood hazard mapping. This study suggests integrating localized flood information into preparedness programs to improve knowledge, risk perception, and preparedness in classroom disaster education.