On 25 April, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck northwest of Kathmandu. On 12 May, a new earthquake measuring 7.3 magnitude struck. The epicentre was northeast of Kathmandu, an area already affected by the first quake. As a result, a total of at least 8,600 people were killed and 16,800 injured. As of 21 May, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs, a total of 494,717 houses were reported destroyed and 267,373 damaged. The earthquakes have had a devastating impact on the school sector in the affected areas. An estimated 1,109,000 children aged 3 to 18 years have been unable to return to their permanent classrooms when classes resumed on 31 May, after the earthquakes destroyed over 35,986 classrooms. A further 16,761 will require repair, affecting 480,000 children. In addition to the impact on facilities, children and their teachers require psychosocial support and the protective environment that emergency education provides. The Cluster anticipates that the level of damage and destruction will increase because of the monsoon, given the risks of landslides and flooding. In response to the 25 April earthquake, the Ministry of Education ordered all schools closed until 14 May. The closure of schools was later extended by two weeks after the second major earthquake, with schools reopening from 31 May onwards. The Cluster has supported the structural assessment of all school buildings in 14 of the most affected districts, determining school buildings safe for use (green flag), while others are declared unsafe (red flag). Students that were taught in buildings that now have a red flag have to be accommodated elsewhere. An estimated 1.2 million primary and lower secondary aged children (5-12 years old) are not in school in Nepal. Out of school children are children who never enrolled in schools, or those who dropped out. Access to education is hampered by various factors including poverty and consequent child labour, discrimination or marginalisation based on social/ethnic groups or castes, disabilities, lack of parental awareness and gender stereotypes. The impact of the earthquakes has the potential to add a further layer of educational vulnerability to the areas worst affected.
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Publisher:
IASC
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(2015
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Type / Script:
Bulletin or Poster
in English
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Keywords:
EARTHQUAKES,NATURAL DISASTERS, FLOODS, LANDSLIDES, DISASTER RELIEF, DISASTER VICTIMS, DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, EMERGENCY SHELTER, CHILD PROTECTION, HEALTH, SANITATION, EDUCATION, NUTRITION, FOOD SECURITY, GENDER, WATER, HYGIENE
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Thematic Group:
UN
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International Peace and Security
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Thesaurus:
13.02.00
- Disaster Prevention, Preparedness And Relief
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Reference Link:
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ALISHA THAPALIYA
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