Around 14,000 students will be able to return to school soon with new emergency education supplies provided by UNICEF in partnership with the NZ Defence Force, after Cyclone Gita damaged around 129 classrooms in 83 primary and secondary schools last week.

An estimated 25,000 school students are affected, and at least 32,000 children in total are impacted by Cyclone Gita according to an assessment by the Government of Tonga.

The supplies flown in from Fiji today includes tents to be used as temporary classrooms, teaching and learning supplies such as early childhood development kits, school-in-a-box, recreation kits, and backpacks for affected students.

“The New Zealand Defence Force’s assistance in airlifting these UNICEF education supplies is key to ensuring the most vulnerable children in Tonga can return to school as soon as possible and regain a sense of normalcy in their disrupted lives,” said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Pacific Representative.

“UNICEF is supporting the Ministry of Education and Training in Tonga to reach thousands of children affected by this disaster by bringing the classrooms to the children after their schools were damaged in the cyclone,” said Yett.

UNICEF staff will also support training on how to set up the tents and temporary learning shelters for students.

Isikeli Oko, Deputy CEO for Education and Training at the Ministry of Education in Tonga, said, “We welcome these education supplies from UNICEF to support the students affected by this disaster.”

He said the temporary classrooms will be of great assistance, while they begin repairing the damaged buildings and classrooms.

Major General Tim Gall, Commander Joint Forces New Zealand said education is one of the priorities.

“We recognise the importance of getting children back to the classroom so they can move on and refocus on their studies, and we are pleased that we can support the Tongan Government and UNICEF in achieving this,” he added.

The school-in-a-box becomes a classroom for 40 students with each containing supplies such as blackboards, pencils, paper, scissors, exercise books and other school materials, allowing children to continue their classes under a temporary shelter with their teacher. The lid of the box is used as a blackboard.