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| Sunday, 9 January 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Back to school by Lakmal Welabada The destruction caused by the tsunami waves two weeks ago, is still haunting the nation.
Children who experienced the devastation first hand are among the most vulnerable and traumatic. Many schools on the coastal belt are among the buildings damaged and destroyed by the marauding waves. Many school children, teachers and principals are among those taking refuge in schools and other makeshift camps across the island. However, despite the devastation, especially of school buildings, schools are scheduled to be re-opened tomorrow. Around 798 schools in 14 districts are being used as temporary refugee camps. These include 55 schools in Colombo, 90 schools in Kalutara, 150 in Galle, 54 in Matara, 28 in Hambantota, 125 in Ampara, 100 in Baticaloa, 19 in Mulaitivu, 22 in Killinochchi, 87 in Trincomalee, 43 in Jaffna, 6 in Puttalam and 10 schools in Vavuniya. Schools in Moratuwa, Ratmalana, Dehiwala and Thimbirigasyaya have become makeshift camps for those displaced in the Colombo district. Nearly 8613 refugees are housed in 19 schools in Moratuwa while seven schools in Ratmalana are occupied by 2304 displaced with 2778 refugees in seven schools in Dehiwala. Three schools in Thimbirigasyaya and four schools in Colombo metropolitan area are housing 138 and 1500 displaced respectively. Re-starting these schools will be a problem, as alternative places are yet to be found for those displaced. R. S. Medagama, Consultant to the Ministry of Education says that students of schools taken over for internally displaced persons will be attached to nearby schools. "We hope to hold classes in the evening (from 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm) for the middle standard classes (from grades 6 to 9) in these 'attached schools,' to minimise the congestion. Primary and the exam classes such as A/Ls and O/Ls will be held during normal hours in the morning. Also, we hope to put up temporary classrooms with galvanised sheets in such school premises as another option," he explains. Medagama also says that steps have been taken to train teachers as child counsellors, as many children who experienced the devastating toll are traumatised. "More than 300,000 school going children have been affected by the disaster. It is also reported that five principals in schools in the Southern coastal belt were killed by a tsunami," he adds. "Hence implementation of the child counselling programme has become an urgent necessity. Therefore, the National Institute of Education hopes to train child counsellors mainly for the children in the Southern Province, and the GTZ of Germany hopes to implement a child counselling programme for the children of the North and East," says Medagama. Fear of another Tsunami, earthquake or cyclone still haunt the people. Astrological predictions, though tallying with the proven geological forecast have been making a great effect on the daily lifestyle.Hence, some feel sending one's offspring back to school in the new year could be a risk. But the Education Ministry is firm on their decision. So, on paths cleared of tsunami debris, but haunted by memories of the killer waves students will return to school tomorrow. |
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