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The damaged chapel at Llanwadi Secondary School overlooks the devastated Pentecostal landscape. Cyclone Harold, Vanuatu, 2020.
photo: Andrew Gray
Protecting school children from the impacts of climate change was the main focus of a two-day consultation in Fiji this week.
Facilitated by Save the Children and UNESCO, stakeholders from across the region came together to discuss next steps to address climate resilience in education systems.
Regional Safe Schools director John Lillo said schoolchildren in the Pacific were particularly vulnerable to natural disasters.
He has noticed an increase in such disruptions in education over the past decade and said it highlights the urgent need for schools to adapt to the climate.
“The Pacific is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world, with tropical cyclones being one of the most common hazards”
“In 2020, Tropical Cyclone Harold struck the Pacific Ocean causing severe damage to schools, affecting thousands of students and disrupting their learning.”
Damage caused by TC Harold in Kadavu.
photo: Fiji NDMO
Tropical Cyclone Harold damaged or destroyed more than 60% of schools in Vanuatu, affecting more than 20,000 children (24,200 in total).
Four years on, some schools are still in disrepair.
The Luganville Secondary Education Board is very concerned for the well-being of students who continue to study in damaged facilities.
They called for a faster pace of reconstruction, a project estimated to cost more than 200 million Vanuatu vala.
Save the Children New Zealand said “witnessing the devastation of a disaster can have lasting effects on children’s health and academic achievement”.
John Lilo, regional director of safe schools.
photo: Image courtesy Save the Children New Zealand
Lillo said stakeholders need to collaborate to better access resources, especially climate finance.
“We must work together with different partners to ensure the comprehensive protection of the safety and well-being of children in the region.”
“Climate finance is at the forefront of our stakeholders’ minds, supporting resource allocation and ensuring stakeholders and partners have capacity.”
He said the conference in Fiji was well attended and provided an opportunity for ministry officials to assess the region and develop future strategies.
Other meetings will continue this week to outline action plans for the safety and wellbeing of Pacific children across the region.
Participants at the Pacific regional stakeholder consultation on school safety and climate resilience in education.
photo: Image courtesy Save the Children New Zealand
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