20 Jun 2018

Vanuatu students struggling after leaving ambae

12:47 pm on 20 June 2018

A Vanuatu teacher working with students relocated from Ambae to Maewo says they are struggling to learn anything due to a lack of resources and facilities.

People on Ambae being evacuated

People on Ambae being evacuated Photo: Yumi Toktok

About 70 secondary school students were moved by the government along with their teachers four weeks ago after months of volcanic activity and heavy ashfall on Ambae.

The deputy principal of Ambae's Navutiriki Secondary School, Issac Tanga, said many of the classes being held on Maewo were in tents which sometimes leaked.

The school was also stuggling to supply food and water to students, Mr Tanga said.

The teachers were asking the Education Ministry to return them and the students to Ambae where the volcano appears to have settled down, he said.

"Because we find out if we continue to be here in the next six months, the students learning will be ruined because there is no proper learning facilities."

Mr Tanga said the students had received some support from the Maewo community but many missed their families and were finding it difficult to adapt.

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