Schools in tents showing resilience

73 schools in tents

Many of the students and teachers currently holding classes in tents have shown resilience, according to the Minister for Education Heritage and Arts, Mahendra Reddy.

It was stated that 37 out of the 48 affected schools scored over 50 per cent in the Fiji Year 12 Certificate Examination.

The total number of schools currently conducting classes in tents are 73.

This was clarified by the Mr Reddy at the Education Forum 2017 yesterday at Tanoa International Hotel in Nadi.

Mr Reddy said the tents were the learning spaces for children. The Permanent Secretary for Education, Iowane Tiko, said the achievements of the schools proved that the students and teachers were resilient.

“From what we discovered last year, the status of the students on the ground does not correlate to their examination results,” Mr Tiko said.

“The school heads, teachers and students understand that the process of rebuilding will take time and they are holding on to whatever provisions are being provided by the Ministry.” “We thank our stakeholders, UNICEF, Save the Children.” Mr Reddy said: “It is important that people have the correct data before they speak of the situation.

“The number of schools for students studying in tents in primary schools are 64/715 schools and 9/170,” Mr Reddy said. This meant 2.5 of the primary school students and 0 .8 per cent of secondary school students are currently studying in tents. “I hope that everybody has the correct picture when they are talking about this issue,” Mr Reddy said.

Questions were raised in regards to the performance of the students studying in these tents.

Mr Reddy said that tents were also being put up in the schools which were undergoing constructions since the schools were in operation.