Responding to the request of the Education Ministry, UNICEF has committed itself to building 21 schools countrywide to replace facilities damaged or destroyed by the devastating tsunami waves. 15 schools have already been completed and six schools are due to be handed over before June this year.

A UNICEF spokesperson said that in the Jaffna district, two schools J/ Valvai RCTMS and J/Valvai Sivaguru Vidyalaya.have been completed.

In the Batticaloa district, B/T Pulavarmoney Periyathambipillai school was completed and three schools – BT/Navalady Namahal V, BT/Palchenai GTMS, and B/T Nasivantheevu GTMS are in the throes of completion.

In the Ampara district- three of four schools have been completed –AK/ Al-Hidaya Ampara, AK/Palakuda Palavinayagar Vidyalaya, AK/Thiruppathy GTMS have been completed with AK/ Al -Badhur Ampara nearing completion.

In the Hambantota district, six schools have been completed - Zahira MV Primary & Secondary schools, Nakulugamuwa Primary and Secondary Schools , Kirinda Muslim Vidyalaya-Hambantota, Lunama Dutugemunu Vidyalaya –Hambantota, while work is ongoing in two schools - Tangalle Rahula MV, and Theraputta MV –Hambantota.

In the Galle district, three schools have been completed Sidharta Primary and Secondary Schools, and Ratgama Sri Sumana PV.

"Further, UNICEF responded positively to a request made by the Education Ministry, in 2006, to support the construction of 11 additional schools, where other donors had withdrawn, bringing to a total of 32 schools in its reconstruction programme in the tsunami affected districts."

The additional 11 schools are Ginthota Maha Vidyalaya, Martin Wickramasinghe Vidyalaya( Galle district), St. Servatius College, Mahamaya Balika Vidyalaya( Matara district), Abdul Majeed Vidyala, Kinniya( Trincomalee district) St. Johns Vidyalaya- Akkaraipattu; Arunodaya Vidyalaya-Akkaraipattu; Al-Bahariya Vidyalaya-Kalmunai; Shams Central College-Maruthamunai; Sri Mamangam Vidyalaya- Kalmunai; Malharu Shams Vidyalaya-Sainthamaruthu( Ampara district).

"Since the request was made to construct the 11 additional schools, UNICEF has worked closely with the communities throughout last year to develop designs and sort out land issues and other complexities that had delayed the projects. Local management companies are now being engaged and we expect construction to be in full swing by October this year" points out UNICEF’s Chief of Education, Ita Sheehy.

Thousands of boys and girls in the tsunami affected regions in the districts of Jaffna, Batticaloa, Amparai, Galle and Hambantota, who were faced with the travails of getting only snatches of learning in temporary huts, have moved into their brand new schools, with a great sigh of relief.

A unique feature of the school recovery programme is the ‘child-friendly school’ design concept developed by the Ministry of Education and UNICEF which is being implemented throughout the entire programme. Focusing on the creation of child friendly spaces, it provides a learning environment which stimulates development of intellectual, social and physical capacities of children.

The new schools are comfortable – not congested like the old ones – with more ventilation, space for play. They have separate rooms for computer, aesthetics, toy room, vocational training activities, library, assembly, staff and principal, playgrounds, sufficient toilets and water supply are some of the popular features amongst the students.