More than 8000 students able to head back to school in Vanua Levu despite TC Yasa damage

More than 8000 students will be able to resume learning as they head back to school this week after Cyclone Yasa caused widespread damage to schools in Vanua Levu.

UNICEF has supported the Ministry of Education to ensure schools are ready to welcome children back this week through the provision of education supplies, including tents and tarpaulins for temporary learning spaces, and school-in-a-box that includes individual stationery with school bag packs for students, as well as teacher and classroom materials.

Minister for Education, Rosy Akbar says this timely assistance has enabled many students to be back in school despite being affected by TC Yasa. She says it was a sigh of relief for many parents and brought smiles to our children.

In addition, Early Childhood Development kits that include recreation and learning materials, along with water and hygiene kits, have also been distributed to support children start the new school year.

UNICEF provided these supplies based on the data that was gathered by the Fijian Government during damage assessments post Cyclone Yasa. Head teachers and school managers will also receive training supported by UNICEF to provide psychosocial care to school children and guidance on creating safe learning spaces.

UNICEF Pacific Representative, Sheldon Yett says every child deserves to have the opportunity to learn.

He says UNICEF, along with it’s partners, are on the ground, supporting Fiji’s humanitarian response to hasten the recovery, and a return to normalcy. The Australian Government also provided rapid and targeted logistics support to deliver UNICEF’s education supplies thanks to its Australian Defence Force. This has helped to have the temporary classrooms set up and supplies ready for when children returned to school today.

Australian High Commissioner to Fiji, John Feakes says the Australian Government has been working closely with the Fijian Government and its Ministry of Education to support the opening of schools in time for the school year.

Feakes says it’s great to see that despite the impact TC Yasa had on school buildings, the Fijian Government was able to successfully manage the response so that children were able to start the school year on time and with smiles on their faces.