“The cyclone came and broke parts of the school, at the kindergarten and class 1 and 2. It broke some of the double-story classrooms and took out some of the roofing from class 4B,” explains 11-year-old Paolo, a student at Santo East School.
Paolo’s school was among the approximately 885 schools that were partly or entirely destroyed on April 6, 2020, when tropical cyclone Harold, the second most powerful cyclone on record to hit Vanuatu, made landfall. The cyclone caused widespread damage of infrastructure and livelihoods, and nearly 51,000 students and 2,400 teachers were directly affected.
Located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, Vanuatu faces frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions and is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The annual cyclone season, regular droughts and floods also make this country one of the world’s most vulnerable to natural hazards, which pose a constant threat to the continuity of education.
In addition to the aftermath of the cyclone, Vanuatu has been dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the country had initially experienced only a handful of reported cases of infection, the government temporarily closed schools in 2020 to protect vulnerable populations and avoid a possible spread, which would compound the already significant challenges posed by the cyclone.
Strengthening the education system
These recent crises have underscored the importance of better preparation for similar emergencies and potential school closures.
In 2020, GPE allocated two grants to Vanuatu: the country received just under US$500,000 in accelerated funding to support the education system’s recovery from the cyclone and $750,000 to address the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as preparedness for future crises that might necessitate school closures. In 2021, Vanuatu received a further $3 million from GPE to consolidate its efforts to support education continuity during and after disasters.
With GPE’s support, more than 7,600 teaching and learning materials have been distributed to preschools damaged by the cyclone so that the early education curriculum can continue to be taught.
These materials include posters, teacher resources, story books and learning games for at least 70 early childhood education centres. To promote equity, children with disabilities have been provided with adapted versions of these materials.
Furthermore, at least 83 primary schools affected by the cyclone are being provided with water tanks, ensuring hygienic practices and safeguarding the health of students by helping to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
A focus on bolstering at-home learning and inclusive education
When children and caregivers have access to home-schooling materials and proper guidance, they are more likely to continue learning during school closures. Children are also better prepared to come back to school once facilities reopen.
“The teacher gave us a home-school package, because parts of the school were destroyed. My mom helped me learn to talk English and do some of my work.” Paolo, 11-year-old student, Santo East School
With this in mind, the GPE COVID-19 grant complements efforts by the ministry and UNICEF to create home-school packages for preschool and primary school children. By adapting these materials to the needs of children with disabilities, in the form of Braille, large print and audio versions, the programme also focuses on the most vulnerable students.
GPE funding is also supporting the production of radio and SMS lessons to accompany home-schooling packages. The lessons will be available in the three national languages, promoting inclusive and effective home learning practices.
Broadcast lessons that emphasize inclusion, psychosocial support and child protection, adaptable to changing response messaging needs, are also being developed. When finalized, these will be uploaded to the ministry’s website for rapid use in future emergencies.
Parents play a key role in supporting their children’s learning, and GPE is supporting the production of home-school guidelines for caregivers. These guidelines are designed to be easily understood by caregivers with low literacy levels and include messages on how to support effective home schooling for children.
The GPE COVID-19 grant is also funding emergency replenishment to primary schools. Many schools had exhausted their annual school grant due to emergency measures taken during the school closures. To date, 407 primary schools have benefitted from the GPE grants, helping the schools to reopen safely and continue operating.
GPE’s support to Vanuatu is helping the government mitigate the risks of school closures due to emergencies such as natural disasters or pandemics. By building a resilient education system, Vanuatu will be better prepared to ensure its children do not stop learning.
