Valelawa Primary School in Macuata continues to hold classes in recycled tents, a situation that has become common for several schools impacted by natural disasters. Similar challenges are faced by schools in Yadua Village, Bua, and Laucala District School on Qamea Island, where classrooms were severely damaged during past events.
Laucala District School suffered a landslide in 2016, while Yadua Village School was hit hard by Tropical Cyclone Yasa in 2020. Valelawa Primary School, built by parents 70 years ago, comprised four classrooms, all of which were impacted by the same cyclone. Located approximately two kilometers from the main road and an hour’s drive from Labasa Town, the school lacks bus service.
According to Hemant Kumar, a trustee of the school, the wooden building’s foundation has started to shake, rendering it unsafe for students and teachers. After informing the Ministry of Education, it was deemed unsafe for children, leading to a request for a termite inspection from the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji, which found no issues.
The ministry then provided two tents for Classes Three through Six. Kumar noted that these tents, initially used at another school for a year post-TC Yasa, are quite old, causing leaks during heavy rain and discomfort during hot weather. Currently, 70 students and four teachers have been using these tents for over six months.
Parents express concern over the lack of communication regarding the situation. One father, who wished to remain anonymous, expressed his disappointment that no formal meeting was organized to explain why students were moved to tents, leaving them in the dark about how long the arrangement would last. Additionally, students have made comparisons of their current classroom conditions to living in animal shelters.
One teacher indicated that they must remain silent about their struggles because the Ministry is providing funding for materials to construct an early childhood education facility, which was also damaged during the cyclone.
On September 25, MOE Permanent Secretary Selina Kuruleca claimed she was unaware of the situation at Valelawa Primary School but acknowledged the need for support for only two maritime primary schools as she coordinated shipments of materials.
The school’s manager, Dhirendra Prasad, announced plans for a two-day school bazaar from October 19 to 20 to raise funds for essential bank account setup and labor costs for construction. He confirmed that officials have visited the school and that they are aware of the tent situation, contradicting Kuruleca’s statement.
Prasad expressed the community’s distress over students studying in tents, highlighting the lack of financial resources within the Valelawa community to build proper classrooms. Their immediate priority is establishing a preschool building before addressing the need for permanent classrooms for older students.