Education of Jaffna's tsunami affected children suffers

[TamilNet, Monday, 01 August 2005, 22:29 GMT]
Jaffna district education authority Monday complained to the Sri Lankan Government Agent (GA) in the district that the education of children in some coastal areas is disrupted as authorities have taken no action to provide temporary structures to conduct classes till the relocation of tsunami destroyed schools in government controlled area is completed, sources said.

Valvettithurai Sivaguru Vidiyalayam and Manatkadu Roman Catholic Tamil Mixed School located in the army- controlled areas had been damaged in tsunami, sources said.

However, seven other tsunami destroyed schools in the Vadamaradchchi east division, Aaliyawalai Tamil School, Vettilaikerni Parameswara Vidiyalayam, Vettilaikerni Roman Catholic Tamil School, Kaddaikadu Roman Catholic School, Chempianpattu Roman Catholic School, Mamunai Government Tamil Mixed School and Thalaiyadi Roman Catholic School have been relocated in new sites and are functioning.

But the two schools in the government area are not relocated nor temporary structures are constructed to provide learning facilities to affected students, education sources pointed out.

The UNICEF agreed to provide funds for the relocation of these schools beyond 300 meters from the shore and lands have also been identified for this purpose. Meanwhile funds have been allocated for the construction of temporary structures with basic facilities to conduct classes for students till the construction works on new schools are completed.

Construction work on about eighty out of 91 temporary structures has commenced but not completed yet. Education officials said that they are unable to recommence teaching to affected students because of the delay in constructing temporary structures, sources said.