Vanuatu, one month on: Children face bleak start to school year amid quake recovery

More than 12,000 children in Vanuatu may be forced to start the new school year in temporary learning centres after last month's devastating earthquake.

A 7.3-magnitude quake struck the capital, Port Vila, killing 14 people, including two children, injuring over 200 others, and displacing thousands more.

A government report revealed that the earthquake that hit the city on 17 December impacted more than 80,000 people.

The report also stated that at least 100 classrooms have been destroyed.

Aileen, 18, was with her younger sister when the earthquake struck.

"I wanted to go outside, but the shock was too strong. I tried to run outside, but I could not. So, I just sat on the floor and remained still," she said.

Aileen is one of 12,610 students registered in Vanuatu, who NGOs warn face an uncertain start to the new school year due to the damage caused by the earthquake.

In Vanuatu, the academic year starts in February and ends in December. The first term begins on 3 February and ends on 9 May.

But the government says over 107 classrooms in at least 45 schools have been damaged or destroyed.

Aileen is supposed to start her final year of high school but now says she’s unsure whether her school, among those damaged, will be ready for students to return to.

"I feel the future in Vanuatu will be harder because at the moment, the schools have been damaged by the earthquake. But in the current situation... I don’t know where we, students, will get our education," Aileen says.

Save The Children says the cyclone season, which ends in April, and the powerful aftershocks have made recovery efforts more difficult.

Polly Banks, Save The Children Vanuatu Country Director, says the earthquake damaged key infrastructure, including bridges, hospitals, and schools.

One month after the disaster, Banks says children and young people like Aileen are still reeling from the impacts of the earthquake.

Eileen and her grandfather Gilbert speak about their experience during the recent earthquake.

"Children across impacted areas have told Save the Children that they are scared to enter buildings and are increasingly anxious and worried about their futures in the aftermath of the disaster," Banks said.

Aileen’s grandfather, Gilbert, says he is concerned about his granddaughter returning to school as many classrooms across Efate Island sustained significant damage.

"How are they going to go back to schools made of big concrete buildings? I am really worried," he said.

"She showed me these pictures she found. It is definitely unsafe for our children to go back to school."

The Vanuatu government has outlined plans to return the children to permanent classrooms and learning.

Aileen's school was badly damaged in the recent Vanuatu earthquake.

But, the government warns that it could take up to four years to rebuild the classrooms that have been destroyed or damaged completely.

Banks says Save the Children is working with the authorities and other partners to address the children's immediate educational needs.

"This includes supporting the setup of temporary classrooms and assisting in reconstructing permanent schools using disaster-resilient designs," she said.

"Additionally, Save the Children will extend psychosocial support to children within their schools and communities."

Research confirms that without early intervention, children experiencing trauma after a disaster may suffer negative effects that can impact their educational and functional outcomes later in life.

Banks says disasters often have the power to suddenly turn children’s lives upside down, especially if they’ve lost loved ones, have their education interrupted or have been forced to flee their homes. 

"In the aftermath of any disaster, it is critical for children recovering that they are able to return to their normal routines as soon as possible, and for most kids, this would include returning to school, where they can reconnect with friends and share their experiences.

"In Vanuatu, just on the island of Efate alone, this is complicated by the fact that at least 45 schools have been damaged or destroyed, leading to uncertainty among children heading into the new school year beginning early next month.

"Save the Children is working with the Vanuatu government, as well as other partners and donors, to ensure that children - who aren’t able to return to their ordinary classroom - still have a place they can go to learn and feel safe, such as child-friendly spaces."

Banks says that while communities across Vanuatu are extremely resilient and have become well accustomed to responding to disasters, "they are also tired of having to constantly rebuild their homes, their schools, and their livelihoods.

Polly Banks says children and young people in Vanuatu are still reeling from the impacts of the earthquake.

"We know that as Vanuatu continues on its long road to recovery, we need to ensure that global partners support the country’s need to build back stronger, including building more resilient schools and homes, in the face of increasingly frequent and devastating disasters," she said.

Meanwhile, the official vote count for Vanuatu's snap election, held last Thursday, is expected to begin this week.

The election was called after Vanuatu President Nikenike Vurobaravu dissolved parliament in November due to a no-confidence motion against him and Prime Minister Charlot Salwai.

More than 180,000 registered voters will choose representatives for 52 seats.

Amid the political instability, the new government faces a costly post-quake reconstruction effort.

Vanuatu holds an election a month after a devastating earthquake that killed at least 14 people. Photo/Christopher Malili