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Children in Nepal return to school after devastating earthquakes

Education in emergencies

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Students walk to school past damaged buildings in Bhaktapur

Nepal国产视频檚 children have started to trickle back to school after the deadly earthquakes that killed thousands and left homes and classrooms in ruins.

The longer students spend out of school, the greater the risk is that they might never go back. So it was vital that schools began to reopen yesterday, giving students the opportunity to be with their friends and teachers and to try to cope with the trauma of the past few weeks.

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Children and parents sing on first day back at school

Thousands of schools reopened across Nepal and classes were also held in temporary learning centres 国产视频 five weeks after the devastating April 25 earthquake, which was followed by another on May 12.

One of those returning was听Shasham Shrestha, a tenth grader at the Kuleswor Awas Secondary School in Kathmandu. He told Thomson Reuters Foundation: 国产视频淚 am nervous. It is painful to see my classroom in rubble.国产视频

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Ankita Kapall, 11, back in her classroom in听Bhaktapur

Education ministry official Hari Lamsal said opening schools was important to show that life is getting back to normal. He added: 国产视频淲e will construct temporary learning centres for schools because reconstruction of old buildings will take time.国产视频

The United Nations children国产视频檚 rights agency UNICEF said almost 14,000 children whose schools were destroyed or heavily damaged in the earthquakes are having classes at 137 temporary learning centres in 16 districts.

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Parents and children going to school on outskirts of Kathmandu

It is working with the Nepalese government and partners to get as many children as possible back to school quickly. Almost one million children have been missing out on education since the earthquakes struck, killing more than 8600 people and destroying 32,000 classrooms and damaging 15,000 others.

Tomoo Hozumi, UNICEF Nepal Representative, said: 国产视频淓ducation cannot wait 国产视频 especially in the immediate aftermath of natural disasters like the Nepal earthquakes.

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Workers build a temporary school in Kathmandu

国产视频淲hile reconstruction of thousands of schools will no doubt be a priority in the recovery phase, if we are not able to provide at least a temporary solution immediately, we run the risk of losing many children who otherwise could benefit from our efforts to build back better the education system.国产视频

The government is planning to open 15,000 temporary learning centres, according to the Asian Development Bank.

Pabitrya Paudyal, 13, holds a book that she found among the rubble of destroyed Chaturmala Higher Secondary School in Muchowk, Gorkha Picture: UNICEF/Panday

Teachers have received training on psychosocial support to children and key lifesaving messages on disaster preparedness, health, hygiene and protection. Children will spend the first two weeks back at school playing and interacting with teachers before their studies resume.

Niraj Kayanstha, a teacher at Changuranayan school, east of Kathmandu, told state-run Radio Nepal that about half of the 400 students returned yesterday.

Subham Maharjan, 7, and Sanjay Maharjan, 5, in UNICEF-supported temporary learning centre in Khokana Picture: UNICEF/Karki

He added: 国产视频淭hey were not studying but singing and dancing and talking to teachers about their experience during the earthquakes.国产视频

Government inspectors who were sent to the schools gave green stickers for safe buildings or red stickers for damaged ones.

Three girls sit on blackboard in Shree Chaturmala Higher Secondary School in Muchowk Picture: UNICEF/Panday

One of the schools destroyed by the earthquake was Durbar High School 国产视频 the first to be established in the country in 1854.

Student Krishna Nepal, 13 国产视频 whose home was destroyed 国产视频 told Hindustan Times:听国产视频淚 am very happy that classes are starting and we will be able to continue our studies.国产视频

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