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In Madagascar, classes resume this morning for students in 38 districts following the heavy rains that hit the country and the passage of a tropical depression. Bad weather that left 55 dead and just over 131,000 victims, according to a provisional report from the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management (BNGRC). A compromised comeback for some. More than 9,000 students are deprived of lessons because of flooded or damaged classrooms, says the BNGRC. Other establishments still serve as shelters for disaster victims.
With our correspondent in Antananarivo, Like Laetitia
At the public primary school of Mahamasina Sud, the desks stacked at the back of the classrooms have given way to a few mats and mattresses. The courtyard remains the children’s playground. More than 500 displaced people are accommodated in this establishment, explains one of the district leaders, Jeannot Ranaivojaona.
« Parents are very worried and ask us when classes will resume but we can’t do anything. We are still waiting for the decision of the officials at the ministry level. »
A vagueness that annoys Marinah, disaster victim and mother of two students in class of 10th and 11the. « My children go to this school in which we are staying and so far nothing is known regarding the resumption of classes. We have to take into account the disaster victims but also our children as pupils because there it becomes very serious. They are way behind in their learning. Their future is really uncertain. »
Children who, in several regions of the country, have already suffered a postponement of the start of the school year at the beginning of the month because of the increase in cases of coronavirus, deplores Yolande. ” My son is already having difficulties at school and there is this problem of suspension of classes which aggravates all that. Every Monday, he asks me if it’s school today and he’s always very disappointed. The teachers should at least give the children homework because they haven’t been to school for too long. »
In its latest bulletin published on Sunday January 30, the National Office for Risk and Disaster Management indicates that 70 school tents and tarpaulins will be installed to start educational activities in times of emergency and that 24,000 school kits have been distributed in around thirty accommodation centres.
