Phenomenological Analysis of School Principals' Perceptions and Lived Experiences about Preparedness for Earthquake Hazards

Improving the safety of the country's schools as a gathering place for students is an undeniable necessity. To benefit from a safe school, in addition to the standard structure and stabilization of non-structural components, the readiness of those involved in dealing with the earthquake and sufficient knowledge about the tasks and duties to be performed before, during and after the earthquake are also very important. School principals, as the pioneers of decision-making and planning in the school executive space, are the basis for the realization of these factors in schools. Therefore, the present study was conducted to analyze the perceptions and lived experiences of school principals, to identify the themes and sub-themes related to school preparedness against earthquakes. For this purpose, a qualitative approach and a descriptive phenomenological method were used. Data were collected through in-depth and semi-structured interviews. Using standard sampling, data saturation was obtained after 14 interviews. Interviews were analyzed using MAXQDA2018 software based on Colaizzi’s strategy. The analysis of the interviews identified five main themes, including "prerequisites", "seismic safety measures", "training and maneuvering", "active participation of actors" and "thematic knowledge and approach of school principals". Findings show that the promotion of seismic safety in schools should be done more quickly and it is necessary to allocate a certain budget for the education and maneuver of the schools and provide adequate and safe escape routes in schools. Accelerating the process of comprehensive safety of schools against earthquake requires the active approach of their principals and their constructive and effective interaction with experts, teachers and parents.