News Updates - February 2005
25 February 2005
EI & Novib sign Memo of Understanding with Sri Lankan govt
EI member organisations in Sri Lanka will reconstruct 12 of the 180 schools
which were damaged or destroyed by the tsunami. The rehabilitation program, the
cost of which is estimated at 5.7 million euros, will be sponsored by EI and
Oxfam Netherlands (Novib).
Photo (from right to left): Dr. Tara de Mel (Secretary to the Minister of Education of Sri Lanka), Angela Wijesinghe (Chair of the EI Sri Lanka Teachers' Relief Project, Fred van Leeuwen (General Secretary of EI), and Sylvia Borren (Executive Director of Oxfam Netherlands, Novib).
The schools, which accommodate approximately 5,000 students, are located in seven districts. Most of the schools are primary schools, some of which combine primary and secondary education. The reconstruction is to be completed within six months. A number of schools are to be relocated because they are situated too close to the shoreline.
On 24 Feb, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by EI and Novib and the Sri Lankan Ministry of Education. Dr Tara de Mel, Secretary to the Minister of Education said that the Sri Lankan government appreciated the participation of the teachers’ movement in the education rehabilitation program.
EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen explained that the teachers of Sri Lanka and their colleagues around the world do not want Sri Lanka to lag behind in achieving Education For All (EFA). He also reminded the government of its responsibility to ensure that the schools will be equally accessible to all children in the communities they serve and provide quality education. Van Leeuwen stressed that the government should employ qualified teachers and establish reasonable terms and employment conditions in agreement with the teachers’ organisations.
The Executive Director of Oxfam Netherlands (Novib), Sylvia Borren, underlined the importance of involving the local communities, parents and teachers in the program. Angela Wijesinghe, President of the All Ceylon Union of Teachers (ACUT), informed the Ministry that the program had been initiated by the member organisations of Education International in Sri Lanka. A Committee has been formed to carry out the program, and Wijesinghe was appointed as its Chair.
The reconstruction program will not only entail the rebuilding of the schools, but also adoption and scholarship programs, as well as crash courses for teachers in trauma counselling.
Member organisations interested in “adopting” schools, starting twinning programs, or assisting in the provision of school supplies, may wish to contact the EI Headquarters in Brussels. A list of the names, location and reconstruction costs of the schools that EI and Novib will be helping to rebuild is also available upon request.
22 February 2005
Sri Lanka: reconstruction begins
EI and Oxfam Netherlands (Novib) will signed an agreement with the Sri Lankan government in 24 Feb to assist in the
reconstruction of 12 schools in various district as part of Sri Lanka's Education Rehabilitation Programs.
School boys unloading a truck filled with school bags.
One of a school near Jaffna was almost completely destroyed by the tsunami. 2 teachers and 10 students died. The school will be rebuilt by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. Here, EI's Chief Regional Coordinator for Asia-Pacific, Aloysius Mathews, and the President of the Ceylon Tamil Teachers' Union is talking to the school's principal. She hopes that the school will be rebuilt witin a few months. However, it will have to be relocated because the government does not want any school building to be closer than 400 meters from the shoreline.
21 February 2005
AEU Federal Conference calls for further donations
The Australian Education Union Federal Conference called on education workers to consider making a further contribution towards Tsunami relief efforts.
Acknowledging that there has already been an overwhelming response to the tsunami from the Australian community, including from its own members, the AEU, its Branches and Associated Bodies asked their own employees to contribute half a day's pay. The AEU will contribute an additional $30,000 from the ITF Emergency Fund to the EI Tsunami Relief Programme.
A week of events, intended to raise awareness of the impact of the tsunami, have been organised across the country. More details are available from www.aeufederal.org.au
9 February 2005
EI and Novib to reconstruct schools in Sri Lanka
EI and Oxfam Netherlands (Novib) will reconstruct schools in Sri Lanka. The
Sri Lankan authorities have invited the two organisations to accept the
responsibility for the reconstruction of ten school buildings. The work
will be coordinated by the EI member organisations in Sri Lanka,
which have formed a consortium following the Global Unions mission two
weeks ago. In the coming weeks a Memorandum of Understanding will be
signed with the Sri Lankan Ministry of Education. EI and
Oxfam, who are the initiators of the Global Campaign for Education (GCE), want
to link their rehabiliation program in Sri Lanka to
the Education For All (EFA) campaign.
9 February 2005
Full report of the mission available for download
The full report of the Global Unions mission is now available for
download. Please
click here to download it in pdf format.